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.
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