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.
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