This post is actually yesterday’s news. Lawn mowing to beat the possible rain and other errands got in the way of meeting my ambitious plan of putting out an annotated game each day. This was begun on Friday but not finished until Saturday afternoon.
On the top boards at the 50th World Junior Championship the
Grandmasters are taking over. GM Hovhannisyan drew with his fellow Armenian GM Ter-Shahakyan on first board. GM Sweircz of Poland sent Indian FM Girish down to his third defeat in a row on board two. Board three saw GM Martinovic of Croatia lose to GM Ray Robson of the US.
Hovhannisyan has the sole lead at 8 ½ points, in second is Ter-Sahakyan at 8 points, and Robson has pulled up to tie for third with GM Adhiban of India both with 7 ½ points. Robson’s loss to the Russian IM Goganov, 2489, hurts his tiebreak situation, but he will have the chance against one of the leaders in the next round to tighten the race even further. Today the round ten results have been slow in coming to the ’net and with them the pairings for round eleven. We will have to wait until later tonight (Friday) to see the pairings I guess.
Other news: The early leader IM Axel Rombaldoni of Italy, like Girish of India, suffered his third successive loss in this round. He lost to GM Adhiban of India. Rombaldoni remains at 6 ½ points.
Deepak Aaron played an interesting game. It was very much in his style, lots of tactics. He obtained a significant advantage and seemed to be rolling on to a neat win. Based solely on the number of moves played, I think time trouble had a role in the error that spoiled the potential victory that eventually turned into a loss.
Aaron, Deepak (2288) - Vasli, Aref (2181) [C45]
50th World Junior Ch Chennai, India, 12.08.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4!?
In the 1890s (!) this was all the rage. First Steinitz tried it out as Black against Chigorin in their 1892 match and lost. Then Chigorin gave a spin with Black in 1895 versus Mieses at Hastings and got a draw. Here are those games:
Chigorin, Mikhail - Steinitz, William [C45]
World Championship 4th Havana (19), 16.02.1892
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Qxe4+ 6.Be3 Kd8 7.N1c3 Qe5 8.Nd5 Nf6 9.Nbxc7 Bd6 10.f4 Qe4 11.Bd3 Qxg2 12.Rg1 Qxh2 13.Qf3 Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Qh6 15.0–0–0 f5 16.Bxf5 g6 17.Nf6 Qf8 18.Bxd7 Qxf6 19.Bxc6 Kc7 20.Be4 Rf8 21.Rgf1 Bd7 22.Rd3 Bc6 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.Bd2 Bc5 25.Bc3 Qf7 26.Be5+ Kb7 27.Rfd1 Qc4 28.Rc3 Qb5 29.Rb3 Bb4 30.Rd7+ Kb6 31.Bc7+ Ka6 32.Rxb4 1–0
Mieses, Jacques - Chigorin, Mikhail [C45]
Hastings Hastings (18), 1895
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Qxe4+ 6.Be2 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Kd8 8.0–0 Bxd2 9.Nxd2 Qf4 10.g3 Qh6 11.Nc4 Nge7 12.Qd3 a6 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Nc6 15.Qc3 Re8 16.Bf3 Qf6 17.Qxf6+ gxf6 18.Bd5 Re7 19.Rfe1 d6 20.Rxe7 Kxe7 21.Re1+ Kf8 22.Be4 Be6 23.Ne3 Kg7 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.Bxd5 Nb4 26.Bb3 Kf8 27.Re4 Nc6 28.Rh4 Kg7 29.Rg4+ Kh8 30.Rf4 Ne5 31.Rxf6 Kg7 32.Rf4 Re8 33.Kg2 c6 34.Re4 d5 35.Re1 Re6 36.f4 Ng4 37.Rxe6 fxe6 38.c3 c5 39.h3 Ne3+ 40.Kf2 Nf5 41.g4 Nd6 42.Ke3 b6 43.f5 exf5 44.Bxd5 fxg4 45.hxg4 Kf6 46.Kf4 h6 47.a3 a5 48.b3 Ne8 49.b4 cxb4 50.cxb4 axb4 51.axb4 Nc7 52.Bc6 Ke6 ½–½
Since those ancient days the move has made only infrequent appearances in high level games. Here is one that shows current theory:
Azmaiparashvili, Zurab (2585) - Hector, Jonny (2465) [C45]
San Sebastian op San Sebastian (7), 1991
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Ndb5 Nf6 8.0–0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Kd8 10.Be3 Re8 11.Re1 Qd5 12.Qc1 Qf5 13.Qa3 d6 14.Rad1 Re7 15.c4 Be6 16.Bf3 Rd7 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Nd4 Qh5 19.Bg5 c5 20.Bxf6+ gxf6 21.Nc6+ Ke8 22.Qb2 Qh4 23.Qb7 Rad8 24.Rd3 1–0
Probably the Queen sortie is good enough for the occasional surprise, but it maybe just a tad risky. Gary Lane said in his book Winning with the Scotch, Henry Holt and Co., NYC, 1993; “By far the most aggressive Black defense against the Scotch..” and “Black’s move is surprisingly hard to refute..”. Lane closes his short comments on this line with; “Whilst the Steinitz Varation can be dangerous for White if he reacts carelessly, accurate play should enable him to claim an advantage with 5 Nc3.”
5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Be2 Qxe4 7.Ndb5 Bxc3+
Very dangerous is 7..., Qxg2? 8 Bf3 Qh3 9 Nxc8+, White wins the Exchange. More important than the material is White can get his pieces into play effectively while Black has a hard time coordinating his.
8.bxc3 Kd8 9.0–0 a6 10.Nd4 Nge7
All theory so far. There were errands to be run early this morning (Friday), and I glanced at this game while finishing my second cup of coffer. With no time to dig into the game, and the play was outside of my experience, which left me doubting Deepak’s choices. The ideas were puzzling at first sight but the suspicion niggled at my mind that this must be a line somewhere in theory. It didn’t take more than a glance at Lane’s book to find the Steinitz Variation in the next to the last chapter just in front of the inevitable Other Black Defenses chapter.
11.Bg5 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Qg6
Also good are 12..., f3; and 12..., Re8.
13.Bf4 d6 14.Re1 Nd5 15.Bd2 Nf6 16.c4 Bg4 17.Qb3 Rb8
It is possible that Black should have tried 17..., Bxe2 18 Rxe2, when the game differs from the text but is no better for Black in my opinion. White now has a substantial plus.
18.c5 Be6 19.Qa3 Bd5 20.f3 Nd7 21.Bd3 Qf6 22.cxd6 Qxd6
Worse is 22..., Qxd4+ 23 Be3 Qe5 24 Bb6.
23.Bb4 Qf4 24.Be7+!?,..
Deepak prefers active piece play when he can get it. More principled and stronger are; 24 Rc1, or 24 Kh1. The text and the alternatives all increase the edge for White.
24..., Kc8 25.Rac1 Re8
A little more stubborn is 25..., c6 26 Bd6 Qxd4+; but White retains a big advantage.
26.Be4 Qd2
Black has no choice but to gamble. The straight forward line illustrates the tactical nastiness that awaits Black; 26..., Bxe4 27 Rxe4 Qf5 28 Bd6 Rxe4 29 fxe4 Qxe4 30 Bxc7, and decisive material will be lost by Black, or he will be mated.
27.Red1 Qxa2 28.Rxc7+ Kxc7 29.Rc1+?,..
A transposing of moves makes all the difference. With 29 Qd6+, the game is won; 29..., Kc8 30 Rc1+ Bc4 31 Bf5 Rxe7 32 Bf5 Kc7 33 Bxd7 Rh8 34 Be4 Bd5 35 Qd6+ and 36 Bxd5, leaving Black down a piece for a pawn. The more important factor is White’s attack is still raging. Black can not hold out for long. The error gives Black not only the opportunity to save his King, but because of the material White invested, Black suddenly has a big edge. White should recognize the changed situation and take the draw by checking with the Bishop on d6. Black then has nothing better than to repeat moves.
29..., Kb6 30.Bc5+ Kc7 31.Ba7+?,..
A stubborn streak shows itself in Mr. Aaron’s chess character. It is understandable and regrettable. Another slip just when he could have forced the draw puts White in a very bad position.
31..., Kd8 32.Qd6 Re6 33.Qc7+,..
Not good for White is;33.Bxd5 Rxd6 34.Bxa2 Rc8 35.Ra1 Rdc6.
33...Ke8
Better is 33..., Ke7; but Black retains a considerable advantage.
34.Bxb8 Bxe4?
Black in turn falters. After having suffered under a fierce assault for nearly thirty moves, it is hard to blame Black for grabbing material. Keeping the advantage with 34..., Qd2; is best. Black’s advantage has dwindled, it is still there but is no longer winning.
35.Qc8+ Ke7 36.Bc7 Kf6 37.fxe4 Qa4 38.Bd8+ Kg6 39.Qc3 h6 40.e5 Kh7 41.Rf1 Kg8 42.Kh1 Re8 43.Bc7?!,..
Played to maybe tempt the Rook to pin. I suspect the clock was a problem for both players hereabouts. Safer is 43 Ba5, then 43..., f6 44 Re1 Qb5 45 Bc7 fxe5 46 dxe5 Nc5 47 h3 Ne6 48 Bd6, and the ending is far from appetizing for White, but the game is by no means lost yet.
43..., Rc8 44.d5?,..
Missing a tactic. Better are ideas such as 44 Rb1 b5 45 Qc6 Qc4 46 Qxc4 bxc4 47 Ba5 c3 48 Kg1,making a some kind of defense against the now slightly devalued Black pawns. After the text Black simplifies to a won ending.
44..., Nxe5 45.Qxe5 Qc4 46.Qf5 Qxc7
The lone central passed pawn is not sufficient to hold against the connected and distant “passers” according to theory, but precise play is required.
47.d6 g6 48.Qf6 Qd7 49.Re1 Rd8?
The game now swings towards equality. Black misses 49..., Qe6!; taking advantage of the first rank weakness in the White camp to nail down the point after 50 Qxe6 fxe6 51 g3 Kf7 52 Rf1+ Ke8 53 Rf6 Kd7 54 Rf7+ Kxd6 55 Rxb7 a5 56 Ra7 Rc1+ 57 Kg2 Ra1; and with two passed pawns Black is winning.
50.h4,..
Black has a defense to 50 Re7 Qf5 51 Rxf7 Qb1+; wins. Otherwise, 51 Qxf5 gxf5 52 Rxb7 Rxd6 53 Kg1 a5 54 Rb5 a4 55 Ra5 Rd4, and the game enters the technical world of Rook and pawn endings where Black has a winning advantage according to the text books. White’s game is looking better than it has for awhile.
50..., h5 51.Re4?,..
An oversight that indicates to me that Deepak was in some time trouble. If 51 Re5, threatening 52 Rxh5, White draws the game. And if, 51 Re5 Qxd6? 52 Re8+ wins.
51..., b5 52.g4?,..
Losing. There was still time for 52 Re5, drawing. Now Black wins.
52..., Rc8 53.Kg2 Rc2+ 54.Kf1 Qc6 55.Qd4 Rc1+ 56.Kf2 Rc4 57.d7 Rxd4 58.Rxd4 Qf6+
This is the resource that keeps the win in hand.
59.Ke3 Qd8 60.gxh5 gxh5 61.Ke4 Qxh4+ 62.Kd5 Qd8 63.Kc6 Kf8 64.Rd5 Qa8+ 65.Kd6 Qxd5+ 1–0
The pawn will not become a Queen, the Black King is just in time to cover d8. A disappointment no doubt for Deepak. He had a well deserved win in hand, then transposing the move order let the win slip away. It was just then our young friend became unnecessarily stubborn about trying for victory. Objectivity, as the Russian School goes on and on about, has to have a role chess at a high level. It is very hard even for so talented a young man as Deepak to shift gears and bail out to a draw when he had a winning edge for so long as in this game. Nevertheless, that was what was required in this game.
More soon.
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