Round Nine sees Hovhannisyan Take the Lead

Earlier in this saga of the 50th World Junior Championship I wrote about the GM title holders not doing so well in the early going and wondered about if the title meant much here. The Grandmaster title does have validity however. It is won through competition, and whether or not you agree the title has been diluted in recent decades, the title does mark out the top class of players. In today’s round the GM title holders made a statement with their results. The surprising Indian FM Girish was defeated by GM Hovhannisyan allowing the Armenian to take sole possession of first place. Tomorrow Hovhannisyan has the White pieces versus his countryman GM Ter-Shakyan.

The recent tournament leader, IM Rombaldoni of Italy lost for the second round in succession, this time to the Polish GM Swiercz

The official US representative, GM Ray Robson won his game this round against Indian IM Sundar Shyam climbing back to the group just behind the leading contenders. He has the chance to play for a top spot over the next few rounds. Here’s wishing him good luck!

The Girish - Hovhannisyan game is quite entertaining full of sharp tactics and excitement. Enjoy.

Girish, Koushik (2309) - Hovhannisyan, Robert (2556) [E04]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 11.08.2011

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 c6 5.g3 dxc4 6.Bg2 b5 7.0–0 Bb7 8.e4 Be7 9.Qe2 a6 10.Rd1 0–0 11.a4 Nbd7 12.h3 h6 13.Nh2 Re8 14.e5 Nd5 15.Qg4 Bg5 16.f4 Nxc3 17.bxc3 f5 18.Qh5 Be7 19.g4 Rf8 20.g5 Qe8 21.g6 Kh8 22.Nf3 Rg8 23.Ba3 c5 24.Ng5 Bxg5 [24...Bxg5; 24...Bxg2] 25.fxg5 Bxg2 26.gxh6 Nf8 27.h7 Bb7 28.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 29.Kh2 b4 30.cxb4 Qxa4 31.Qe2 cxb4 32.Qxc4 a5 33.Bb2 Qd7 34.Rg1 Rc8 35.Qe2 a4 36.Rad1 a3 37.Bc1 Qa4 38.Rd2 b3 39.Qf2 Bd5 40.Re1 Rc3 41.Qh4 b2 42.Bxb2 axb2 43.Rxb2 Rc2+ 44.Re2 Rxb2 45.Rxb2 Qa1 46.Qf2 f4 0–1

These young competitors, born in the last decade of the 20th century, have a taste for the openings of one hundred years ago. Today we see their take on the Scotch Four Knights in Santos - Aarpn. This opening was very much in the arsenals of the famous players from the 1800s right through the 1950s. From Paulsen, Tarrasch, Steinitz, Zukertort and their contemporaries to Alekhine and Spielmann in the 20s and 30s and on to Rossolimo, Smyslov, Bronstein and Bolgoljubov in the 40s and 50s. It appeared steadily if not frequently at the top level. It has fallen out of favor at the top but still shows up lower down the pecking order.

Santos, Hugo Lima (2078) - Aaron, Deepak (2288) [C47]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 11.08.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6

Here is a selection of games over the years illustrating some of the ideas really good players have had in the Scotch Four Knights and a few bad ideas too.

Tarrasch, Siegbert - Schallopp, Emil [C47]

DSB–05.Kongress Frankfurt (2), 1887

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qd4 Qe7 8.f3 c5 9.Qf2 Nd5 10.Bd2 Nxc3 11.Bxc3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 f5 13.Bc4 fxe4 14.0–0 e3 15.Qg3 Kd8 16.Rfe1 Re8 17.Rad1 Qf6 18.Rd3 e2 19.Rd2 Qxc3 20.Rdxe2 Rxe2 21.Rxe2 Rb8 22.Qg5+ Qf6 23.Qxc5 Rb1+ 24.Kf2 Qh4+ 25.Ke3 d6 26.Qd5 Bb7 27.Qg8+ Kd7 28.Qxg7+ Kc6 29.Qd4 Qxd4+ 30.Kxd4 Rb4 31.Re7 Ba6 32.Rxh7 Rxc4+ 33.Ke3 Rxc2 34.g4 Rxa2 35.g5 Rg2 36.h4 Bc4 37.f4 a5 38.f5 a4 39.f6 a3 40.f7 Bxf7 41.Rxf7 Rg4 42.Rf8 Rxh4 43.Kf3 Ra4 44.g6 a2 45.g7 a1Q 46.g8Q Qf1+ 47.Kg3 Rf4 0–1

Spielmann, Rudolf - Marshall, Frank James [C47]

New York New York (3), 1927

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 0–0 8.0–0 Re8 9.Qf3 h6 10.Bf4 d6 11.h3 Bb7 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ng3 c4 14.Bxc4 Bxe4 15.Qb3 d5 16.Bb5 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Rb8 18.Qa4 Rxb5 19.Qxb5 Qxd6 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Qb8+ Kh7 22.Qxa7 Qe5 23.Qa5 Qxb2 24.Qxc7 Rc4 25.Qxf7 Rxc2 26.Rab1 Qe5 27.Rb7 Qg5 28.h4 Qg4 29.Qxf6 1–0

Alekhine, Alexander - Alexander, Conel Hughes [C47]

Margate Margate (1), 1937

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd2 0–0 8.Bd3 d5 9.f3 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.fxe4 Bc5 12.Qf3 Rb8 13.Bc3 Qg5 14.h4 Qh6 15.g4 Qe6 16.g5 Bb4 17.Bxb4 Rxb4 18.b3 Qe5 19.0–0 c5 20.Rad1 Be6 21.Qf4 Qxf4 22.Rxf4 Rd8 23.Kf2 Rbd4 24.Ke3 c4 25.bxc4 Bxc4 26.Rf5 Bxa2 27.Rc5 Bc4 28.Rxc7 a6 29.h5 Bb5 30.g6 hxg6 31.hxg6 R4d7 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Ra1 Bxd3 34.cxd3 Rd6 35.gxf7+ Kxf7 36.Ra5 Rb6 37.d4 Rb3+ 38.Kf4 Rb4 39.d5 Rb6 40.Rc5 Rb4 41.Rc7+ Kf8 42.Ra7 1–0

Ravinsky, Grigory Ionovich - Estrin, Yacov [C47]

Moscow-ch Moscow (14), 1952

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nxd5 Bxb2 13.Rb1 c6 14.Nb4 Bf6 15.Nxc6 Qc7 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Be4 Rae8 18.a4 Ba2 19.Rbd1 Re6 20.Nd4 Re5 21.Nf5 Rfe8 22.Bd3 Be6 23.Nh6+ Kh8 24.Rde1 Rg5 25.Re3 Rf8 26.Rfe1 Qd8 27.h4 Rc5 28.Qe4 g6 29.Qf4 Kg7 30.Ng4 Bxh4 31.Qh6+ Kg8 32.Rh3 Rh5 33.Qf4 Bg5 34.Qg3 Rxh3 35.gxh3 Bf6 36.Qf4 Bg7 37.Re3 Qh4 38.Qg3 Qd8 39.Qf4 Qh4 40.Qg3 Qg5 41.Kh2 h5 42.Ne5 Qxg3+ 43.fxg3 Re8 44.Bb5 Re7 45.Nf3 Rc7 46.Bd3 Bd5 47.Re8+ Kh7 48.Ng5+ Kh6 49.h4 Bc6 50.Re2 Bxa4 51.Rf2 f6 52.Ne6 Re7 53.Nxg7 Kxg7 54.Kg2 Bc6+ 55.Kf1 a5 56.Rf4 f5 57.Rd4 Ra7 58.Bc4 a4 59.Ke1 Be8 60.Kd2 Bf7 61.Kc1 a3 62.Bxf7 Kxf7 63.Kb1 a2+ 64.Ka1 Ra3 65.Rd3 Rxd3 66.cxd3 g5 0–1

Just to show all examples are not from long ago days, here is now-GM Ter-Sahakyan trying it out in a past World Junior event.

Ter Sahakyan, Samvel (2389) - Howell, David (2527) [C47]

Wch U20 Yerevan (12), 15.10.2007

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 Be7 12.h3 h6 13.Bf4 Nh7 14.Rfe1 Ng5 15.Qg3 Ne6 16.Bxh6 Bd6 17.Qg4 Qf6 18.Bd2 Nf4 19.Qd1 Bxh3 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.g3 Qh6 22.Qf3 Rab8 23.Rab1 f5 24.Nxd5 Bg4 25.Qg2 cxd5 26.Qxd5+ Kh8 27.Re6 Qh5 28.Kg2 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 f4 30.Rxd6 fxg3 31.Qg2 gxf2+ 32.Kf1 Rbe8 0–1

7.Bd3 0–0 8.0–0 Qe7 9.Bg5 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Qe5 11.Bd2!?,..

Theory and Rybka says 11 Bxf6, is slightly better than the text, but I am not so sure I can see a big difference.

11..., Re8 12.Re1 d6 13.h3 Qc5 14.Qf3?!,..

This is second best however. With 14 Rab1, White would have had all pieces working.

14..., Be6 15.Qe3 Nd7 16.f4 f6

The game is entirely equal.

17.Qxc5 Nxc5 18.e5 fxe5 19.fxe5 d5!?

Logically 19..., Nxd3; takes the game to a level Bishops of opposite color ending. Deepak does not like to opt out of a fight in that fashion so he heads for complications. The position begins to slightly tilt in White’s favor.

20.Rab1 a5 21.Be3 Na4

Here Black could have varied with 21..., Nxd3 22 cxd3 Bf5; pulling game back to level.

22.Rb7 Nxc3 23.Rxc7 Rac8 24.Ra7 c5 25.Bd2 Nxa2 26.Rxa5 d4

Black is determined to make the game difficult. With 26..., Nb4; he could have equalized matters.

27.Ba6?!,..

White misses a chance to play 27 Rb1 Nc3 28 Bxc3 dxc3 29 Rb7, obtaining a clear advantage.

27..., Rc7 28.Ra1 Nb4 29.Bxb4 cxb4 30.Bd3 Rc3 31.R5a4,..

A more reliable continuation is 31 Ra8, getting off a pair of Rooks.

31..., Rb8?

Black now misses a chance to take over a clear advantage with 31..., b3; then 32 Rxd4 bxc2 33 Rc1 Bb3; gives White a very far advanced pawn to worry about. After 34 Kf2 Rxe5; the active Black Rooks make the White position hard to hold and not much fun to play. The text gives some small advantage to White.

32.Be4 Rc5 33.Ra8,..

White undertakes a simplifying operation that wrings play out of the position. It probably was a good decision from a practical viewpoint; a draw with a higher rated opponent is important in this tough contest.

33..., Rxa8 34.Rxa8+ Kf7 35.Bxh7 Rxe5 36.Bg8+ Kf6 37.Bxe6 Rxe6 38.Rb8 Re1+ 39.Kf2 Rc1 40.Rxb4 Rxc2+ 41.Kf1 Ke5

A Rook and two pawn ending where one side has a isolated passed pawn is a classic endgame problem. Fine, Devenish & Smyslov and Dvoretsky don’t address this specific endgame directly. The ending however includes many of themes they all cover very well. It all boils down to White slowing down the passed pawn as much as possible, winning the g-pawn, giving up the Rook for the passed d-pawn when required while advancing the connected passed pawns

42.Rb7,..

He fails to find the finesse 42 Rb3, then 42..., Rc3 43 Rb8, White has made some progress.

42..., g5 43.Rb5+ Kf4 44.g3+ Ke3 45.Re5+ Kd2 46.Kf2?,..

Straightaway capturing on g5 draws quickly after 46 Rxg5 d3 47 Kf2 Kd1+ 48 Ke3 d2 49 Rd5 Ke1 50 h4, and the White pawns have just enough of a head start to draw.

46..., d3

For a moment Rybka sees opportunity for Black because White neglected to take off the g-pawn at the correct moment, but when the position is “ccoked” for a bit longer the evaluation drifts back to near level. The wrap up is more or less routine.

47.Kf3 Kd1 48.Rd5 d2 49.Kg4 Kc1 50.Kxg5 d1Q 51.Rxd1+ Kxd1 52.h4 Ke2 53.h5 Kf3 54.h6 Rc7 55.Kg6 Kg4 56.h7 Rxh7 57.Kxh7 Kxg3 ½–½

Tomorrow Deepak plays White versus Aref Vasli of Iran, 2181, and Robson plays Black against GM Sasa Martinovic of Croatia. Deepak’s opponent has had nearly equally mediocre results as has Deepak. This looks to be a even match up. There is enough rounds for Mr. Aaron to get back to a fifty percent record. Let us hope he can do so. Good luck to him tomorrow!

More soon.

Rombaldoni Loses the Lead

Rombaldoni dropped out of the lead today at the 50th World Junior Championship. GM Hovhannisyan defeated Rombaldoni and shares that spot today with the Indian FM Girish. It was a short, sharp contest where Hovhannisyan played a fairly new move that may have been outside of Rombaldoni’s experience. It was either that, or the Italian IM just disagreed with the evaluation that master practice indicates about the position. The game, both play and result, supports the evaluation; White is better. Here is the game. What do you think?

Hovhannisyan, Robert (2556) - Rombaldoni, Axel (2459) [B66]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 10.08.2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be7 10.h4!,..

This is the improvement. It first surfaced in master play 2000, and since has led to excellent results for White. Previously White has tried 10 f4, 10 f3, 10 Kb1, and a few other moves here with varying degrees of success but nothing out of the ordinary. The text moves shows up in sixteen games in my databases. White won 12, drew 2 and lost two! That is a significant edge for White. It is more impressive considering all of these games were among titled players 2350 and above. Here is an example from the early days of the line:

Luther, Thomas (2544) - Aleksieva, Silvia (2364) [B66]

Cappelle op 17th Cappelle la Grande (2), 25.02.2001

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0–0–0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Be7 10.h4 b5 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxe5 Bd7 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Bxg5+ 15.hxg5 Rc8 16.Qd4 Qc7 17.Bd3 Kf8 18.Rxh7 Rxh7 19.Bxh7 g6 20.c3 Bc6 21.Qh8+ Ke7 22.Qf6+ Ke8 23.Bxg6 fxg6 24.Rh1 Qe7 25.Rh8+ 1–0

10..., b5 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxe5 Qb6 13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Bxe7,..

This may be the only way for White to maintain the edge, but it is sufficient. If 14.Qxe4 Bb7 15 Qe5 f6 16 Be3 fxe5 17 Bxb6 Bd5; looks good for Black.

14...Bb7

The obvious 14..., Nxf2?; is answered by 15 Bc5.

15.Bb4 f6

Rombaldoni may have thought earlier that 15..., Nxf2; might be possible here, but if 15..., Nxf2 16 Qxg7 Nxd1 17 Bxb5+! Qxb5 18 Qxh8+ Kd7 19 Rxd1+ Bd5; and White is winning.

16.Qh5+ g6 17.Qh6 Bd5

Once more capturing on f2 with the Knight can’t be done; 17..., Nxf2 18 Qg7, making a powerful mate threat on e7, then 18... Nd3+ 19 Rxd3, wins.

18.Bd3 0–0–0

And again capturing on f2 with the Knight meets problems; 18..., Nxf2 19 Bxg6+, winning. I have the feeling Hovhannisyan may have had this whole line worked out at home.

19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.f3 Bd5 21.Be7 Rd7 22.Bxf6 Rg8 23.Rd3 Kb7 24.Qe3 Qa5

After all the fireworks, White has a sound pawn in the bag, and the Black King is still not entirely safe. Black avoids the Queen exchange understandably, but it might have best to go into the ending.

25.a3 Rc8 26.Be5 b4?

Struggling to create counter-play losses a pawn. Playing 26..., Qd8; right away may be better. Also 26..., Rc6; or even 26..., Qb6; could be played.

27.Qd2 Qd8 28.Qxb4+ Ka8 29.Qa4 a5 30.Bf6,..

A little tactical finesse that illustrates the unfortunate state of the Black forces.

30..., Qc7 31.Bc3 Bc6 32.Rxd7,..

A final finesse leading to a simply won ending.

32..., Bxa4 33.Rxc7 Rxc7 34.Re1 1–0

An impressive win by the Armenian GM and an entertaining game.

My prediction re: today’s Deepak game was wrong. He lost the fight with his youthful opponent.

Aaron, Deepak (2288) - Akash, Pc Iyer (2069) [C77]

50th Junior World Ch Chennai, India, 10.08.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.d3 Bd6

The Deferred Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez is often dismissed as a way for White to get a draw if he does not feel like playing on the day. It can lead to an early peace treaty, but it also can be the venue for serious fighting. Here is an example:

Markovic, Miroslav (2504) - Ivanisevic, Ivan (2569) [C77]

Serbia/Montenegro-chT Budva (5), 22.05.2003

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.d3 Bd6 7.Nbd2 Qe7 8.0–0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Re1 Nd7 11.Nf1 0–0–0 12.Ng3 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 g6 14.c3 c5 15.Nf1 Nb8 16.Ne3 Nc6 17.Nd5 Qe6 18.Bg5 Rd7 19.Bf6 Rg8 20.a3 Bf8 21.Bg5 h6 22.Be3 f5 23.b4 Rf7 24.Rab1 cxb4 25.axb4 f4 26.Bd2 Na7 27.c4 c6 28.d4 exd4 [28...cxd5 29.exd5 Qf5 30.dxe5] 29.b5 axb5 30.cxb5 g5 31.Qb3 Rg6 32.Qa4 cxd5 33.Qxa7 dxe4 34.Qa8+ Kc7 35.Rbc1+ Kd6 36.Bb4+ Ke5 37.Bxf8 Rd7 38.Rxe4+ Kxe4 39.Re1+ Kf5 40.Rxe6 Rxe6 41.Qc8 Rf7 42.Bb4 b6 43.Qd8 Ke4 44.Qg8 Rff6 45.Qa8+ Kd3 46.Qa4 Ke4 47.Qc2+ Kd5 48.Kh2 h5 49.Qa2+ Ke5 50.Qe2+ Kd5 51.Qxh5 Kc4 52.Bd2 Rf5 53.Qd1 Rxb5 54.h4 Rh6 55.h5 Rb2 56.Kh3 Rxh5+ 57.Qxh5 Rxd2 58.Qf7+ Kc3 59.f3 b5 60.Qd5 b4 61.Qc5+ Kb3 62.Qxg5 d3 63.Qxf4 Rc2 64.g4 Kc3 65.Qe5+ Kc4 66.g5 d2 67.Qd6 Kc3 68.g6 Rc1 69.g7 d1Q 70.Qxd1 Rxd1 71.g8Q b3 72.Qc8+ Kd2 73.Qd7+ Kc2 74.Qc6+ Kb2 75.f4 Rc1 76.Qa4 Rc3+ 77.Kg4 Kc1 78.Qd4 Kc2 79.Qf2+ Kc1 80.Qe1+ Kc2 81.Qf2+ Kc1 82.Qe1+ Kc2 83.Qe4+ Kc1 84.Qd4 Kc2 85.f5 b2 86.f6 b1Q 87.f7 Rg3+ ½–½

7.Nbd2 Qe7 8.b3,..

Maybe this approach is equally valid as Markovic’s in the game above but more common is 8 0-0.

8..., Bg4 9.Bb2 Nd7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nc4 f6 12.Ne3 Bf7 13.Qe2 g6 14.c3 a5!

A nice creative move from Akash. The notion behind it seems to be to make something out of the Bishop on b2. It is an awkward posting because there is no way to crack the solid e5 rock that Black has established.

15.0–0 a4 16.b4 0–0 17.a3 c5 18.Nd2 b5

Also possible is 18..., cxb4 19 cxb4 c5; and open d-file foreshadows pressure on the backward pawn on d3.

19.Ng4 Be6 20.bxc5?!,..

Safer is 20 Ne3, recognizing Black has the advantage and White has to wait some longer for a chance to open the game.

20..., Nxc5 21.f4?,..

Deepak is forcing the issue, but Black is better developed, and it leads to disaster.

21..., exf4 22.d4 Nb3 23.Nxb3?,..

An oversight in a bad position. Better 23 Rae1, however the position still is lost after 23..., Bxa3 24 Bxa3 Qxa3 25 Rxf4 Bxg4 26 hxg4 27 Nxb3 Qxb3.

23..., Bc4 24.Qf2 axb3 25.Rfe1 h5 26.Nxf6+,..

There is not much else to do. If 26 Nh2 Bxa3; wins.

26..., Qxf6 27.e5 Qg5 28.exd6 cxd6 29.Bc1 Qf5 30.d5,..

Despair I guess. More stubborn is 30 h4, but equally hopeless after 30.., Rae8 31 Bb2 Re3 32 Rxe3 fxe3 33 Qxe3 Qc2.

30..., Rae8 31.Re6 Rxe6 32.dxe6 Qxe6 33.Bxf4 b2 34.Re1,..

The piece is also lost after 34 Rb1 Qe4, because the attempt at counter-play, 35 Qxb2 Rxf4 36 a4, is met with 36..., Qe3+ 37 Kh2 Rf2 38 Qc1 Qe5+ 39 Kh1 Qg3 40 Qg1 Bd5.

34..., Rxf4 35.Qd2 Qxe1+ 0–1

Youth was served again.

GM Roy Robson drew his game today with IM Vidit of India. He plays another Indian IM, Sundar Shyam tomorrow.

Also on tomorrow is a game between the Indian surprise of the tournament, FM Koushik Girish and GM Hovhannisyan. Girish has the White pieces.

Deepak plays Santos Hugo Lima of Portugal with Black tomorrow. Santos had a big jump in rating in 2008, from under 1700 to just over 2000. Since then he seems to have hit a plateau. I hesitate to make a prediction, everyone in this event is quite capable of winning on a given day. I do hope for the best from Deepak tomorrow.

Rombaldoni Keeps the Lead and Deepak Drops a Point

The second half of the 50th World Junior Championship got underway today, and IM Rombaldoni held on to first place by drawing with GM Ter-Sahakyan is 63 moves. Rombaldoni used the Sicilian against 1 e4. The game became a very closed maneuvering battle and not at all typical of a Sicilian played by young tigers.

The surprising Indian FM Girish and the not so surprising GM Hovhannisyan of Armenia won from GM Sjugirov and IM Huschenbeth respectively to haul with a half point of the leader and a tie for second place. Rombaldoni faces Hovhannisyan in the next round in another test that will see if he can keep up the pace.

The official US entry, GM Ray Robson drew with GM Vugar Rasulov to reach 5 - 2 and 11th place in the standings. Robson plays IM Vidit OF India in the next round.

FIDE titled players get their titles in the rough and tumble competition on the international stage. By definition they are resourceful and dangerous all the time even in such well known openings as the Giuoco Piano. Today’s game illustrates this:

Ramnath, Bhuvanesh (2422) - Aaron, Deepak (2288) [C54]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 09.08.2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0–0 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 Bb6 7.Bb3 0–0

By no means is this line the most popular, but it is certainly known theory. Here is an example from GM practice of not so long ago:

Wolff, Patrick G (2565) - Sokolov, Ivan (2665) [C54]

New York CITS New York (3), 1996

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 Bb6 6.Nbd2 0–0 7.0–0 d6 8.Bb3 Ne7 9.Nc4 Ng6 10.Re1 c6 11.Nxb6 axb6 12.d4 Qe7 13.h3 h6 14.a3 b5 15.c4 bxc4 16.Bxc4 b5 17.Bf1 Bd7 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.b4 c5 20.bxc5 Qxc5 21.Bb2 Rfe8 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Qc2 Rac8 24.Qb3 Rxc1 25.Bxc1 Bc6 26.Be3 Qb7 27.Nd2 Ra8 28.f3 Nh5 29.Rc1 Be8 30.Rc5 Qe7 31.Qc3 Kh7 32.Nb1 Ng3 33.Bd3 Rd8 34.Kh2 Nh5 35.Rd5 Ngf4 36.Rxd8 Qxd8 37.Bf1 Qh4 38.Qd2 Qg3+ 39.Kh1 Qg6 40.Kh2 Qg3+ 41.Kh1 Qg6 ½–½

8.Nbd2 Ne7 9.h3 Ng6 10.Nc4 Be6 11.Re1 Re8

Maybe 11..., h6; would keep things more in balance.

12.Ng5 Bxc4 13.Bxc4 Re7 14.Nf3,..

The direct approach with 14 Qb3, does not promise much after 14..., Qd7 15 a4 a5; and Black will push back the Ng5 with .., h7-h6; soon.

14..., h6 15.Bb3 c6

In exchange for giving up the Bishop for a Knight, Black will get to push his d-pawn to the 5th rank if he wants to do so. Is this a good thing? If the position opens up the Bishop pair White has can become very active. This kind of choice always turns on will the Knights have safe and effective posts, preferably somewhere in the center. If they do not find such spots, the side with the Knights is forced to cede the initiative.

16.Nh2 d5 17.Qf3 Qd6 18.Nf1 Nh4 19.Qe2 Nd7 20.Ne3 Bxe3

I am not sure Black can not not take the Ne3, and neither is Rybka. The program sees the text and 20..., d4 21 Nc4, as about equal and better than any alternative. Either way Black’s last Bishop goes off.

21.Bxe3 d4 22.cxd4 exd4 23.Bd2 Qg6?!

Deepak is unwilling to over to the defensive and chooses to mix things up. This is, however, the moment to maybe begin to think about defense. Black does not have any obvious long term safe squares in the center for the Knights, but he may get to use some for a moment or two. That could be enough to keep things level for the time being. Here is a suggestion: 23..., Ng6; if then 24 Qg4 Nc5 25 Bb4 Ne5 26 Qg3 a5 27 Ba3 b5; 28 Bxc5 Qxc5 29 Rec1 Qb6 30 f4 Nd7 31 Qg6 Nc5 32 Qd6 Nxb3 33 axb3 Re6 34 Qc5 Qd8 35 f5 Rd6; and so on. This is a computer generated line, a series of easy to see tactical threats leading to the analysis position that favors White only slightly. All along the line there are opportunities for one side or the other to vary. Calculating such a line is very hard. The obvious core line may be seen reasonable clearly, but the numerous alternatives and sidelines are another matter entirely. Could it be that Deepak dug into the position but found no clear advantage? Finding no advantage, he decides to take a risk rather than settle for pushing off the decisive moment.

24.f4 Qg3

Otherwise his previous move makes no sense.

25.Rf1,..

Threatening 26 Be1.

25..., Ng6 26.Rf3 Qh4 27.Qf1,..

Apparently sharper are 27 e5, taking away squares from the Black Queen, and 27 Rc5. The text gives Black a glimmer of hope. To fan that glimmer into a brighter flame will require some daring-do.

27...,Ree8 28.Re1 Qd8

Black is not willing to dance along the precipice and hurries the Queen away from potential danger. Worthwhile trying is 28..., a5, threatening to push the Bishop off the annoying diagonal. If White maintains the Bishop on the diagonal with 29 a3, then 29..., a4 30 Ba2 Nc5 31 Rc1, and White retains the initiative with advantage but not so great an advantage as after the text.

29.Rg3 Nc5 30.Bd1 Qc7 31.Qf2 Kh7 32.b4,..

If 32 Qxd4?! Ne6 33 Qf2 Ngxf4; recovering the pawn. White remains objective. Capturing the sickly d-pawn is not as important as increasing his control of the board and prosecuting the attack on the Black King.

32..., Nd7 33.e5 Rad8 34.Bf3 f5 35.Bh5 Ndf8 36.Rf3 Re7 37.g4 fxg4

More stubborn is 37..., Rf7; but White has a very strong attack building.

38.Bxg4,..

Also good is 38.hxg4.

38...c5 39.Bf5 c4

Black tries to generate counter-play on the opposite side of the board. Unfortunately, direct threats to the King trump opposite side threats this time.

40.Rg3 cxd3

The situation is very bad for Black. Critical comment about this move is of no use. The slightly better 40..., c3; is different but does no better in the end.

41.Qg2 Qc6 42.Qxc6 bxc6 43.Kh1,..

Calm objectivity. The pinned Ng6 is a goner in every event as White piles on the target. Black tries his best to distract the opponent from the pinned piece but to no avail.

43..., a5 44.Reg1 axb4 45.Bxb4 Rf7 46.Rxg6 Nxg6

Not 46..., Rxf6; because 47 Rxg7+, and mate in two.

47.Bxg6+ Kg8 48.e6,..

Good technique! There is no reason to hurry to grab material when the pawns have both Bishops convoying them towards the Queening squares.

48..., Rb7 49.e7 Ra8 50.Bd6 Rd7 51.Ba3 Rda7 52.Bc5 Rxa2 53.e8Q+ Rxe8 54.Bxe8 Rc2 55.Bxd4 d2 56.Rd1 Rc1 57.Bh5 c5

A last forlorn hope.

58.Be3 Rc3 59.Rxd2 Rxe3 60.Kg2 g5 61.f5 Re4 62.f6 Rf4 63.Rd8+ 1–0

If 63..., Kh7 64 f7 Kg7 65 Rg8+, ends the affair. Resourceful and aggressive play has carried the day for Deepak many times. Against titled players it may be he needs more. That might be a dash of objectivity and the willingness to go on the defensive when it is the safer choice. Still, he is a young man who loves cut and thrust tactics, and it is not easy to go contrary to your instincts.

In the round tomorrow Deepak plays White against Akash, Pc Iyer of India, 2069. Akash is the 13th ranked under 14 in India. Akash has performed above expectations so far. This 8th round game will likely be no easy one for Deepak, but I think he just might win it.

Catching Up on Round One in India

Some troubles on the tournament web site prevented me from posting Deepak Aaron’s game from round one. Bill Townsend told me he ran into similar problems with Deepak’s first round game. We both found some short game fragment that did not make much sense when played over.

For the first week of the event a promised download of the games in PGN format did not materialize. On the rest day today the games download came through, and I obtained the contest with Salgaldo Lopez this morning. This actual score does not resemble the game fragment found earlier, but it is logical. Here it is:

Aaron, Deepak (2288) - Salgado Lopez, Ivan (2626) [B86]

50th World Junior Championship, Chennai, India, 02.08.2011

Round 1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 Be7 7.Bb3 0–0 8.Be3,..

Known to theory but not exactly mainstream, nonetheless it is position full of complicated chances for both sides. Here is an example from a couple of solid internationalists of how this opening may be played:

Martin Gonzalez, Angel (2405) - Veingold, Aleksandr (2465) [B86]

Benasque op Benasque (6), 1993

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bc4 Be7 7.Bb3 0–0 8.Qe2 Na6 9.g4 d5 10.e5 Nd7 11.f4 Nac5 12.g5 a5 13.a3 Nxb3 14.cxb3 Bc5 15.Be3 b6 16.0–0–0 Ba6 17.Qh5 Qc7 18.Kb1 Rfc8 19.Ka2 Qb7 20.Rhg1 b5 21.Rg3 Bxd4 22.Bxd4 b4 23.Na4 Rc2 24.Rh3 Nf8 25.Nc5 Qc7 26.Nxa6 Rxa6 27.a4 Rac6 28.Rhd3 Rc1 29.Qe2 Ng6 30.Qf2 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Ne7 32.h4 Rc2 33.Qf3 Nf5 34.h5 h6 35.gxh6 Nxh6 36.Qd3 Nf5 37.Kb1 Nxd4 38.Qxd4 Qc5 39.Qd3 Rg2 40.Rc1 Rg1 41.Rxg1 Qxg1+ 42.Ka2 d4 43.Qb5 g6 44.Qe8+ Kg7 45.h6+ Kh7 1–0

8..., Na6 9.f3 Nc5 10.Qd2 a6 11.g4,..

The game is at a crossroads of the Scheveningen/Najdorf variations with opposite side castling and mutual attacks on the Kings. In other words plenty of excitement. The position is dynamically balanced at the moment.

11..., Qc7 12.g5 Nfd7 13.0–0–0,..

We begin to see that White has a position that is a bit looser than is Black’s. One thought is White might delay castling on the Q-side and try pushing forward on the K-side; 13 h4 Ne5 14 h5 b5 15 h6 g6; and it is hard to see how White can proceed quickly enough to cause Black problems making progress on the Q-side. The threats White can make are real, but the unstable situation of the White King likely means Black’s threats will take priority.

13..., b5 14.h4 Ne5 15.g6?,..

Offering a pawn that garners nothing significant. Maybe Deepak hoped for 15..., hxg6 16 h5? Black ignores the attempt at muddy the waters and continues his Q-side operation.

15..., b4 16.Nce2 a5 17.gxf7+ Rxf7

Black now has some advantage.

18.Nb5,..

Since 18 Nf4, fails after 18..., Nxb3+; this is what is left for White to do. The advantage for Black has increased. White now has to go all out on the K-side.

18..., Qb8 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.a4 Rxf3

Black pockets a pawn, but that is not so important as getting the f-Rook into active play. Black has a material edge, but he needs to speed up his lagging development.

21.Rhg1 Rxb3

At first glance this a pseudo-sacrifice of the Exchange; really it is an operation eliminating some active White pieces serving to increase the importance of the extra pawn as well as solving the problem of developing the Black Q-side.

22.cxb3 Nf3 23.Qh6 Nxg1 24.Rxg1 Qe5

With some pieces off the White attack is not quite so fearsome.

25.Nf4 Bf6 26.Nd3 Qh2

A resource that had to be foreseen when making the capture on move 21. The attacking chances for White are fast disappearing leaving him the difficult prospect of conducting the late middle game with Knights versus Bishops while a pawn down.

27.Qe3 c4?!

Even Grandmasters, especially when they are still teenagers, can get carried away with tactics. The line 27..., Bb7 28 Nxc5? Qxb2+ 29 Kd1 Rd8+; promises only death and destruction for White. Stronger for White is 28 e5 Bxh4 29 Rf1 h6 30 Kb1 Bg5; but not enough to give White much hope in the ending after 31 Qf2 Qxf2.

28.bxc4 b3

The GM sets up mating threats, one more problem to keep White busy. The trouble is after the next move, the best Black can do is trade Queens and go into the ending. It is won for White, but 27..., Bb7; would have been a much shorter route to the same goal.

29.Qf2 Qxf2 30.Nxf2 Bxh4 31.Nd3 Bb7 32.Rg4,..

The two connected passed pawns Black has in hand likely win no matter what. More resourceful is 32 Kd2, then 32..., Bxe4 33 Rg4 Bxd3 34 Rxh4 Rd8 35 Ke3 Bf5 36 Nd4 Kf7 37 c5, offers some hope, but is probably still lost after 37..., g5. The “passers” are too big a problem to overcome in the long run.

32..., Be7 33.Nc7 Rc8 34.Nxe6 Rxc4+

With the Black Rook going to the 2d rank further resistance is becoming hopeless.

35.Kd2 g6 36.Rg1 Bxe4 37.Ne5 Rc2+ 38.Ke3 Bd5 39.Nd4 Rxb2 0–1

There are too many passed pawns now, and Deepak resigned.

Play resumes tomorrow, more then.

Deepak Gets to 3-3 and Rombaldoni Extends his Lead

Deepak Aaron got to a fifty percent score with a win from Soares of Angola today. Once again there were moments in the game when Mr. Aaron was in some trouble. Resourceful play in a poor position, and with some help from his opponent, Deepak was able to prevail. Reaching a 3 - 3 score won for him his first titled opposition since round one, IM Bhuvanesh R Ramnath, 2422 of India in round seven. Tomorrow, Monday is a rest day. Round seven will take place on Tuesday.

Soares, Erikson R M (2181) - Aaron, Deepak (2288) [D11]

50th World Junior Championship, Chennai, India, 07.08.2011

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 Bf5 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3,..

A position that can arise from the English or the Catalan as well as the Slav.

6..., Bb4?!

Not a completely new move but one not found in many games. More usual are; 6..., Be7; and h6.

7.Qb3 a5 8.c5!?,..

As for Black in some variations of the French, pushing the c-pawn does not always work out well. Rybka suggests 8 0-0, 8 a3, and 8 Nh4, as better alternatives for White.

8..., Nbd7 9.0–0 b6 10.cxb6 c5?

Too risky by far. Better 10..., Qxb6 11 Bf4 0-0; equalizing.

11.Nh4 c4 12.Qa4 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Qxb6

Standard in this kind of position is 13..., Bg4; threatening to capture on c3 and then on e2. The text leads to a game with two Knights battling the Bishop pair. Worse is the lack of aggressive, safe posts for the Knights and things are made more difficult by the inability of Black to castle soon.

14.Nxf5 exf5 15.Ba3 Rb8 16.Qc2?!,..

Not outright bad but the move shows a that some doubts have crept into Soares’ mind. The natural continuation is; 16 Rfb1, then 16..., Qc7 17 Rxb8+ Qxb8 18 Qxa5, collects a pawn and cements a plus close to winning. If Black tries to vary with say 16..., Qxb1+; White obtains an overwhelming position after; 17 Rxb1+ Rxb1+ 18 Bf1 Rg8 19 Qc6 Rb8 20 Bd6 Rd8 21 Bg2.

16..., g6 17.Rab1 Qc6

Black is still worse, but he has begun to get things organized for defense.

18.Rxb8+ Nxb8 19.Rb1 Na6 20.Bc5?!,..

One more doubtful move lets pass an opportunity. Taking command of the b-file with 20 Rb2, and 21 Qb1, better. Exposing the Bishop keeping the Black King in difficulties to a trade is poor technique.

20..., Nd7 21.Qb2 Naxc5 22.dxc5 0–0

The Black King is away and safe from sudden shocks. White certainly still has some advantage but not nearly as much as he could have had.

23.Qb5 Qc7 24.Qb7 Qxb7 25.Rxb7 Nxc5 26.Rc7 Ne6 27.Rc6 Rd8

Resourceful as always Deepak has equalized.

28.e3 a4 29.Ra6 Nc5 30.Ra5 Nd3!?

Going into the Rook and pawn endings with 30..., Ne4; might be the best objective choice. Here typically our young master prefers to keep material on the board to increase the chances winning. White goes for the standard tactics when a Rook and light squared Bishop are in the White forces; counter-play against f7.

31.Bxd5 Nb2 32.Rb5 Nd1 33.Bxc4 Nxc3 34.Rb7 Kg7 35.Rxf7+ Kh6

White has an extra pawn for the moment. Black has the chance for active piece play.

36.Rc7,..

Either 36 Ra7, or 36 h4, may be better choices.

36..., Ne4 37.f3?,..

Too routine. Black is now thinking of setting up the mechanism of a Rook on the second and a Knight on the third, something that can make the White King extremely uncomfortable. White should try 37 g4, a slightly unusual looking thrust that has good chances to keep things equal.

37..., Rd1+ 38.Kg2 Rd2+ 39.Kg1 Ng5 40.f4 Nf3+ 41.Kf1 Nxh2+ 42.Kg1 Nf3+ 43.Kf1 Rc2!

Alertness to tactical possibilities pays off

44.Rc6 Nd2+

Also possible is 44..., Rxc4 45 Rxc4 Nd2+; winning a piece.

45.Ke2 0–1

And White resigns because 45..., Nxc4+ 46 Kd3 Ne5+; wins a Rook. A couple of times Mr. Aaron has gotten himself into trouble only to rescue a result by being tactically alert. If he continues the pattern the titled players he will be facing are less likely to offer opportunities to claw back from the brink of defeat. That may mean a result poorer than it might be for this event.

On the top board, the Italian IM Axel Rombaldoni with the Black pieces continued his winning ways defeating the Polish IM Kacper Piorun 2514. This puts him in clear first place at 6 - 0. Following a point back are; German IM Niclas Huschenbeth, 2521, Armenian GM Samuel Ter-Sahakyan, 2558, and the surprise of the event so far; Indian FM Koushik Girish, 2309. Rombaldoni plays Ter-Sahakyan in round seven.

GM Ray Robson won his sixth round game from Indian IM Nitin, 2365 bringing him to 4 ½ - 1 ½. This result puts Robson in a tie for 6th through 11th place. He is paired with GM Rasulov of Armenia in the next round.

Here is Rombaldoni’s win from round six:

Piorun, Kacper (2514) - Rombaldoni, Axel (2459) [D91]

50th Workd Junior Ch Chennai, India, 07.08.2011

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.e3 c5 8.cxd5 cxd4 9.cxd4 Qxd5

One of the many variations of the Grunfeld Defense. It has the basic traits of the Grunfeld; Black has a two to one pawn majority on the Q-side and pressure down the long a1-h8 diagonal. White has a lead in development.

10.Nf3 Nc6 11.Be2 e5!?

A bold decision to open the game up before his King is safely away from the middle of the board. The safer alternative is 11..., 0-0; but it is less enterprising.

12.dxe5 Qa5+ 13.Nd2 Nxe5 14.0–0 0–0 15.Nb3 Qa3 16.Nd4 a6 17.Qc1 Qa5

The balance has been maintained so far, but White is not out of the woods yet. Defending the a-pawn and securing the Ra1 from nasty shocks arising out of some discovered attack occupy the attention of White leaving Black with the initiative.

18.Qb2 Re8 19.a4 Be6

The Bishop is immune to capture because 20 Nxe6, is fatally answered by 20..., Nf6+. The b-pawn is on offer. There seems to be no better choice for White than to take it.

20.Qxb7 Bd5 21.Nb3 Bxb3 22.Qxb3 Rab8 23.Qa3 Rb4

The last operation by Black has a point; converting the two to one pawn majority to a single outside passed pawn.

24.Bg3 Nc4 25.Bc7?!,..

GM Piorun elects to play for the advantage. The position after; 25 Bxc4 Rxc4 26 Qd3 Rxa4 27 Rab1, is level for the moment. In this position Black will try to mobilize his a-pawn by getting his Queen and Rook out of the way and advance the pawn with the Bg7 in support. White will have to find some way to blockade the a-pawn while also finding threats to slow Black’s reorganization of his forces. GM Piorun must not care for such methods and tries a a more active approach. It loses material. Piorun may have thought it possible to find a blockade for the a-pawn even when down the Exchange reasoning reduced material will help him to do so.

25..., Nxa3 26.Bxa5 Rxa4 27.Bd2 Bxa1 28.Rxa1 Rb8 29.Bd1 Rc4 30.Kf1 Nb1 31.Ke1 Nxd2 32.Kxd2 Rb2+ 33.Ke1 Rc6 34.Be2 Rcc2

Doing what endgame theory tells us to do; extra material, or passed pawns that are not yet too far advanced can be offered up to convert one kind of advantage to another more telling advantage. In this case Black will massacre the White K-side leaving the makings of a trivial sort of win in a pure pawn endgame

35.Bxa6,..

The threat on e2 leaves no other choice.

35..., Rxf2 0–1

If White looks for a standard kind of counter-play with 36 Bc4, then 36..., Rxg2 37 h3 Rg3 38 h4 Rg1+ 39 Bf1 Rh1; and all Black needs to do is engineer the trade of his two Rooks for the White Bishop and Rook. That is not hard to do in such an open position. If White attempts a purely defensive approach with 36 Bf1, Black simply takes what offered with 36..., Rfc2; and White has few active moves left to play. After 37 Kd1 Kg7 38 h3 Rc3 39 Be2 Rxe3 40 Bf3 Re7 41 Ra8 Rd7+ 42 Kc1 Rf2 43 Ra5 Rdd2 44 Ra7 Ra2; forces the Bishop versus Rook endgame where Black has no problem bringing up his King to enter on the dark squares on the K-side and wins the game.

More in a day or two.

There is a New Leader and the Continuing Adventures of Deepak

Today on the top board at the 50th World Junior Championship IM Alex Rombaldoni of Italy defeated GM Salgado Lopez of Spain. The Italian junior is having one hell of a tournament. He stands in clear first place with a 5 - 0 score. Salgado Lopez falls to 3 ½ - 1 ½. IM Kacper Piorun of Poland defeated IM Sahart Grover of India to reach second place all alone. Tomorrow the top two, Rombaldoni and Poirun face each other on board one.

Further down the line, US GM Ray Robson defeated IM Priyadharshan, 2376 of India to reach a 3 ½ - 1 ½ score. Robson needs to avoid losses and to achieve a couple more wins to salvage rating points at this event.

Here’s the game with which Rombaldoni took first:

Rombaldoni, Axel (2459) - Salgado Lopez, Ivan (2626) [B81]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 06.08.2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.g4,..

The Keres Attack, and in the spirit of the late great Estonian GM the game becomes complex and tactical.

6..., a6 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e5 dxe5 10.Qxd8+,..

Rbyka says 10 Bxc6+, is much better.

10..., Kxd8 11.Bxc6 Rb8 12.g5 Nd7 13.b3 Kc7 14.Bg2 h6 15.g6 f5 16.Bb2 h5 17.Rg1 Rh6 18.Bf1 Bc5 19.Na4 Bb4+ 20.Kd1 Bb7 21.a3 Bd6

These young men are not adverse to piling on tension. Whatever way you turn in this game careful accurate calculation is demanded.

22.Bc3 Rf8 23.Ke1 h4 24.Rd1 Bf3 25.Be2 Bxe2 26.Kxe2 Rb8

It obvious with a computer to help; if 26..., Rf6 27 Rd2, and the doubling of the White rooks on the d-file along with pressure on e5 will give White a winning advantage. This theme runs through the next operations.

27.Rd3 Nf6 28.Rgd1 Nd5 29.Bd2 Rxg6 30.c4 e4 31.Rd4 Nf4+ 32.Bxf4 Bxf4

Black is somewhat better here. Unless White finds counter-play, the weakness of his K-side bodes ill for his chances. The next few moves create dangers for the Black King - that is counter-play!

33.Nc5 Ra8 34.b4 h3?

A critical mistake. Black had to play 34..., Kc6; avoiding the coming check on d7, giving Black time for .., a6-a5; making breathing room for his King. Opening the a-file also creates serious threats on the White King. The game move does not pay enough attention to White’s plans costing a heavy price.

35.Rd7+ Kc6 36.Nb3,..

The White pieces threaten serious harm to the Black King.

36..., Bc7

This move allows a tactical finish. Another longer way beginning 36..., a5; leads to the same result, a win for White after; 37 Nxa5+ Rxa5 38 bxa5 Bxh2 39 a6 Bb8 40 Rb7 Bf4 41 Rdb1 h2 42 a7 Rg1 43 a8 (Q) h1 (Q) 44 Qc8+, and mate the next.

37.Na5+ Kb6 38.R1d6+ 1–0

Continuing to follow the adventures of Schenectady’s Deepak Aaron gives us this rather technical draw with the young Sidhant of India:

Aaron, Deepak (2288) - Sidhant, Mohapatra (2155) [B45]

50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 06.08.2011

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Ndb5 Bb4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.exd5 exd5 10.Bd3 0–0 11.0–0 d4 12.Ne2 Qd5 13.Nf4 Qd6 14.Nh5 Nxh5 15.Qxh5 h6 16.Re1 Bd7 17.Qh4 Rfe8 18.Bf4 Qd5

All this is theory from the Open Sicilian Four Knights. The databases have plenty of material in them for searching and comparison of similar positions. There was, however, only one game with exactly the same moves:

Balcerak, Philipp (2202) - Frackowiak, Oliver (2083) [B45]

GER-chT U20 Greifswald (4.3), 28.12.2002

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Ndb5 Bb4 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Nxc3 d5 9.exd5 exd5 10.Bd3 0–0 11.0–0 d4 12.Ne2 Qd5 13.Nf4 Qd6 14.Nh5 Nxh5 15.Qxh5 h6 16.Re1 Bd7 17.Qh4 Rfe8 18.Bf4 Qd5 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Qxh6 f5 21.Qg6+ ½–½

White took advantage of the opportunity in this other under 20 event to force a draw. Deepak is more combative. He has the Bishop pair and Black has an isolated d-pawn to play against. It may be Deepak’s nature, or it may be GM Ronen Har-Zvi’s teaching, but just because there is a draw for the taking he sees no reason to so. As Ronen is fond of saying; “if you think you have some advantage, play it out!”

19.Qg3 Kh8 20.f3,..

The more tactical alternative; 20 b4, creates a different endgame picture after; 20..., Bf5 21 b5 Bxd3 22 Qxd3 Na5 23 Rxe8+ Rxe8 24 Be3 Nc4 25 Bxd4 Qxb5 26 Bxa7, but it does not offer any immediate advantage. Neither does the text move.

20..., Bf5 21.Rad1,..

Black obtains some initiative after this move. 21 Qf2, is perhaps a little better.

21..., Bxd3 22.Rxd3 Qc5 23.Rxe8+ Rxe8 24.Qf2 Qb5 25.Bc1 Qe5

If Black wanted to try to build on his Q-side pressure, then 25..., a5; suggests itself.

26.Rd1 Re6 27.b3 Qb5 28.Rd3 Qa5 29.Kf1 Qb5 30.Kg1 Qa5 31.Kf1 Qb5 32.Kg1 Qa5 33.b4 Qb5 ½–½

Both sides took care in the final half-dozen moves to keep the balance neither wishing to take unnecessary risks.

Tomorrow Deepak faces a player older than himself, Erikson Roberto Maurici Soares of Angola, 2181. Early in his career Soares had quick success and posted a 2262 rating in 2007. Since then his results have fallen off drifting down some 80 points. In the event so far, Soares began well drawing two IM’s before losing to another IM. He won from the unrated Ugandan Emojing Elijah and lost in the last round to the Australian FM Junta Ikeda. Soares has faced a somewhat stronger opposition so far. Tomorrow’s game may well be a interesting test for Deepak.

More soon.

More From the 50th World Junior Event

In the world of serious chess there are no really easy days. Today Deepak had to play a strong young opponent, Ajgaonkar Mithil, the 10th ranked under 13 player in India.

At the top of the pairings the exalted title of Grandmaster got little deference. On the first board GM Salgado Lopez lost his lead in the event after drawing with IM Piorun, K of Poland. This came about because his closest GM rivals did not do all that well. GM Nabaty, T of Israel was defeated by IM Rombaldoni, A of Italy on board two, and GM Ray Robson of the US lost to IM Goganov, A of Russia on board three. Rombaldoni’s win vaulted him into first place with a 4 - 0 score. Salgado Lopez is tied for 2d through 6th place, and Saturday he plays Rombaldoni with a chance to regain the lead. GM Robson dropped down the standings and is now tied for 29th through 50th place.

Mr. Aaron reached a really bad position in his game. Ever resourceful, Deepak made a stubborn defense, stayed alert and took advantage of a slip from his opponent.

Mithil, Ajgaonkar (2130) - Aaron, Deepak [D15] (2288)

50th World Junior Championship, Chennai, India, 05.08.2011

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6

A topical line that has become popular in recent years. It is not seen much at the very top of the heap among the candidates and challengers for the world title, although with it Kamsky took a pair of draws from Gelfand in the Candidates’ finals, 2007. At a somewhat lower level of excellence it is more often played. Here is an example:

L'Ami, Erwin (2598) - Sokolov, Ivan (2666) [D15]

Staunton mem 5th London (8), 15.08.2007

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.gxf3 Nbd7 9.f4 e6 10.c5 h6 11.h4 h5 12.Bd3 Be7 13.Qf3 g6 14.Qh3 Ng4 15.Ne2 Nh6 16.Ng1 Bxc5 17.Nf3 Bb4+ 18.Ke2 Bc3 19.Rb1 Nf5 20.Bxf5 exf5 21.Bd2 Bxd2 22.Nxd2 c5 23.Nf3 Rc8 24.Rhd1 c4 25.Ne5 Nf6 0–1

An enduring point of interest for me is the tactics that can be created in the Slav, an opening that superficially appears to start out as a positional struggle.

5.e3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.Be2 e6 8.0–0 Bd6 9.Qc2 0–0 10.a3 Nbd7

The game is out of the “book” now. Rybka calls the position just about level.

11.e4,..

Let the party begin! Less aggressive moves such as 11 Rd1, or 11 c5, seem to let Black have a chance for an advantage.

11..., Bxf3!?

A tough decision. Possibly better is 11..., e5; first, and that might give Black more after 12 exd5 Bxf3 13 Bxf3 exd4 14 Ne2 bxc4 15 bxc4 cxd5 16 cxd5 Rc8; when the tactical melee could well resolve itself into a simplified and level position. To use Kotov’s terminology; this whole sequence includes a very “bushy tree” of variations, and a big commitment of time to calculate everything.

12.Bxf3 e5!?

White wants to build a big center. The natural counter for Black is to play to break the center up. To that end he could undertake the sacrificial line; 12... bxc4!?; and if 13 e5?! cxb3 14 Qxb3 Nxe5 15 dxe5 Bxe5 16 Re1 Rb8 17 Qc2 Nd7; and Rybka says Black is a little better than White. The game move has same motivation without seeking a material imbalance. Which path is superior I can’t judge. This is a juncture where we could use the insight of a GM to guide us to a correct evaluation.

13.exd5 exd4 14.Ne4 d3?!

This move is suspicious. Why give up the pawn before time? 14..., Ne5 15 Nxd6 Nxf3+ 16 gxf3 Qxd6; disturbs the White K-side pawns and devalues the White center pawn mass, the goal mentioned in the previous note. It is true that Black conceded the minor Exchange and the Knight has no unassailable post to which he can go. Deepak maybe didn’t care for such a result because the winning chances for Black would be small, and his tournament position made him need a win.

15.Qxd3 Ne5 16.Qd4 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Nxe4 18.fxe4 Qh4?

The way things have turned out is just the opposite of what Black wanted; White has his big center. Black on the other hand makes a gesture at a K-side attack with this move, but the idea is flawed. Correct is 18..., Bxh2+; and taking the draw by perpetual if 19 Kxh2 Qh4+. White could ignore the Bishop and play 19 Kg2, then 19..., Bc7 20 c5 Qh4 21 d6 Qg4+; with the perpetual again. Or, White could vary with 21 f4, then 21..., Qg4+ 22 Kh2 f5! 23 e5? Bxe5! 24 Qxe5 Rf6; wins. White can of course improve in this line, but he has to find some creative moves. For example; 21 f4 Qg4+ 22 Kh2 f5! 23 Ra2 to meet 23..., Rf6; with 24 Qxf6! After 23 Ra2, Rae8 24 Rg2 Rxe4 25 Qb2 Qh4+ 26 Kg1 g6; and Black is not at all badly placed. The White King is awkward and the Black Bishop can maneuver through d8 to f6 where it could be dangerous.

19.f4!,..

A good defensive resource that takes away much of the sting in the attack Black wants to carry out.

19..., cxd5 20.e5 Be7?

A natural move but wrong. Oddly this is less active than 20..., Bb8; threatening 21..., Ba7. The threat would provoke White to play 21 c5, then 21..., Qg4+ 22 Kh1 Qh3 23 Be3 Bc7; and it is noteworthy how the seemingly helpless d-pawn is too poisoned for White to take it anywhere along the way. After the text White is on top. Rybka does not make the margin big, a little more than a full pawn, exactly the material difference on the board. In any event it is surely uncomfortable to be playing the Black pieces faced with two connect and advanced passed pawns in the middle of the board.

21.cxd5 Rac8 22.d6 Qg4+

The alternative 22..., Rc2 23 Bd2, is not more promising.

23.Kh1 Bh4 24.Bb2 Qh5 25.Rac1 Rxc1 26.Bxc1,..

Taking back with the Rook lets Black off the hook; 26 Rxc1 Qf3+ 27 Kg1, etc. and drawn by perpetual check.

26..., Qe2?

This move helps White reorganize his forces.

27.Qd1 Qe4+ 28.Qf3 Qf5

Black could have put his Queen here on move 26 instead of helping White to get his Queen to f3 where she covers the White King usefully. White’s advantage has grown from significant to nearly winning.

29.Rd1 Rc8 30.d7?!,..

Technique begins to slip for White. Better 30 Bd3. A difficult move to see. In the obvious line White has to find a neat move to make the development of the Bishop possible; 30 Bd3 Rc3? 31 Rd3!, works because the Black Rook and Queen must stay connected to the c8 square, otherwise there is a mate beginning with the White Queen checking on a8. Best play seems to be; 30 Bd3 h5 31 Bb6, increasing the edge for White.

30..., Rd8 31.Qd3 Qe6

Black would a little better off with his Queen on h5 keeping an eye on f3.

32.Be3 Qh6

Black is desperate. He lays a trap with this move.

33.f5 Qh5 34.Bf4??,..

Into which White falls instantly. Either 34 Qf1, or 34 Rf1, guarding the delicate point f3 are enough to seal the deal. Even 34 Qd5, wins. All the alternatives keep the Black Queen out of f3. Deepak’s young opponent may have gotten carried away with the chance to “lay a master by his heels” and lost his sense of danger.

34..., Rxd7!

Suddenly everything falls to bits. The one tricky try; 35 f6, is foiled by 35..., Qxd1+; winning a whole Rook. The final moves of the game show why capturing on d7 also loses.

35.Qxd7 Qf3+ 36.Kg1 Bf2+ 37.Kf1,..

White gives up because 37..., Be3+; and its mate the next.

0–1

A nice recovery after getting in serious trouble.

Tomorrow Aaron plays another youngster from the host country, Mohapatra Sidhant, the 9th rated under 14 in India. Sidhant has faced tough opposition to get to 1 ½ points; two 2300+ FIDE masters and two 2400+ International Masters. He lost one and drew three against tough guys! This game will be serious test for Deepak.

More tomorrow.