A Theoretical Game

Over the years RPI has represented the collage element on the local chess scene more consistently than any other school in the area. In the 1970s and 1980s they fielded some strong teams occasionally with masters on the top boards. I can’t say they a team in the League every year, but more often than not RPI participated. The past few years Brian Furtado captained the RPI team as it battled the top local clubs. This year with the addition of Jeffery La Comb, a solid A player on first board, and Brian’s growing experience as a player, the RPI team may just be ready to upset one of the perennial contenders. Even the recent heavy defeat RPI suffered at the hands of the Schenectady Geezers should not deceive anyone as to their potential.

Today’s game is a theoretical outing in the Grunfeld Defense, Exchange Variation. There is a huge body of knowledge around the Grunfeld. It has been used often by the very best players in most important contests

Furtado, Brian - Le Cours, Alan [D87]
CDCL Match Geezers v RPI Schenectady, NY, 05.04.2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Be3 0–0 9.Ne2 Nc6 10.0–0

There is an attractive alternate plan for White here. Hans Berliner, the 5th CC World Champion set it out formally, and some very good Grandmasters have used the plan; skip castling and advance the h-pawn to attack the Black King. Shirov demonstrates the plan in this game:

(272400) Shirov,Alexei (2610) - Ernst,Thomas (2525) [D87]
Lloyds Bank Open, London (7), 1991
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0–0 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.cxd4 Qa5+ 12.Kf1 Bd7 13.h4 Rfc8 14.h5 Nd8 15.f3 Bb5 16.Bxb5 Qxb5 17.Kf2 Rxc1 18.Qxc1 Nc6 19.Qb1 Qa6 20.hxg6 hxg6 21.e5 Rd8 22.a4 Na5 23.Qe4 Rc8 24.Bh6 Bh8 25.Bg5 Qe6 26.Qh4 1–0

10.., Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Qxf1

Even the better 14 Kxf1, is not so simple here. The position is difficult, and White has to find hard to see moves to make the most of his position.

(190390) Karpov,Anatoly (2700) - Kasparov,Garry (2740) [D87]
World Championship, Seville (11), 09.11.1987
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0–0 10.0–0 Bg4 11.f3 Na5 12.Bxf7+ Rxf7 13.fxg4 Rxf1+ 14.Kxf1 Qd6 15.Kg1 Qe6 16.Qd3 Qc4 17.Qxc4+ Nxc4 18.Bf2 cxd4 19.cxd4 e5 20.d5 Bh6 21.h4 Bd2 22.Rd1 Ba5 23.Rc1 b5 24.Rc2 Nd6 25.Ng3 Nc4 26.Nf1 Nd6 27.Ng3 Nc4 28.g5 Kf7 29.Nf1 Nd6 30.Ng3 Nc4 31.Kf1 Ke7 32.Bc5+ Kf7 33.Rf2+ Kg7 34.Rf6 Bb6 35.Rc6 Na5 36.Bxb6 Nxc6 37.Bc7 Rf8+ 38.Ke2 Rf7 39.Bd6 Rd7 40.Bc5 Na5 41.Nf1 Rc7 42.Bd6 Rc2+ 43.Kd3 Rxa2 44.Ne3 Kf7 45.Ng4 Nc4 46.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 47.Bxe5 b4 48.Bf6 b3 49.e5 Rxg2 50.e6+ Kf8 0–1

To make the point about the popularity of the Grunfeld, here is a small selection of games:

This game left many of us Bobby-fans with a question that nagged for the next six years; Fischer was probably better than just about anybody else playing at the time, but could he handle Spassky in a match? Bobby cleared that up in Iceland 1972

(70661) Spassky, Boris V - Fischer, Robert James [D87]
2 nd Piatigorsky Cup, Santa Monica (8), 28.07.1966
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0–0 10.0–0 Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8 12.Qe1 e6 13.f4 Na5 14.Bd3 f5 15.Rd1 b6 16.Qf2 cxd4 17.Bxd4 Bxd4 18.cxd4 Bb7 19.Ng3 Qf7 20.d5 fxe4 21.dxe6 Qxe6 22.f5 Qf7 23.Bxe4 Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Rf8 25.Bb1 Qf6 26.Qc2 Kh8 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Qd2 Kg7 29.Rf1 Qe7 30.Qd4+ Rf6 31.Ne4 Bxe4 32.Bxe4 Qc5 33.Qxc5 Rxf1+ 34.Kxf1 bxc5 35.h4 Nc4 36.Ke2 Ne5 37.Ke3 Kf6 38.Kf4 Nf7 39.Ke3 g5 40.h5 Nh6 41.Kd3 Ke5 42.Ba8 Kd6 43.Kc4 g4 44.a4 Ng8 45.a5 Nh6 46.Be4 g3 47.Kb5 Ng8 48.Bb1 Nh6 49.Ka6 Kc6 50.Ba2 1–0

Here is an example of the famous Exchange sacrifice in the Grunfeld that is attributed to Smyslov. It is an illustration of the concepts of dynamic play and concrete calculation the Soviet chess school brought to chess.

(90922) Gligoric, Svetozar (2575) - Portisch, Lajos (2640) [D89]
San Antonio, 1972
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0–0 10.0–0 cxd4 11.cxd4 Bg4 12.f3 Na5 13.Bd3 Be6 14.Qa4 a6 15.d5 b5 16.Qb4 Bxa1 17.Rxa1 Bd7 18.Qd4 f6 19.e5 fxe5 20.Qxe5 Qb8 21.Qxe7 Qe8 22.Qc5 Rc8 23.Qd4 Nc4 24.Bh6 Rf7 25.Rc1 Qe7 26.Bxc4 bxc4 27.Be3 Re8 28.Kf2 Qd6 29.Ng3 Bb5 30.Ne4 Qe5 31.Qxe5 Rxe5 32.Nc3 Rb7 33.Bd4 Ree7 34.Ne4 Rbd7 35.a4 Bc6 36.Nf6+ Kf7 37.Nxd7 Bxd7 38.Rxc4 Bf5 39.g4 Bd7 40.Be3 Be8 41.Bc5 Rd7 42.Rf4+ Kg7 43.Bf8+ Kg8 44.Bh6 Bf7 45.Rf6 a5 46.Ra6 Bxd5 47.Rxa5 Kf7 48.Be3 Bb3 49.Ra8 Rc7 50.a5 Rc2+ 51.Kg3 Rc3 52.Ra7+ Ke6 53.Bg5 h6 54.Re7+ Kd6 55.Re3 1–0

An ongoing worry for White in the Grunfeld is Black making something out of his Q-side pawn majority as Saidy does in this game.

(94779) Yanofsky, Daniel Abraham (2460) - Saidy, Anthony Fred (2425) [D89]
Netanya (5), 1973
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0–0 10.0–0 cxd4 11.cxd4 Bg4 12.f3 Na5 13.Bd3 Be6 14.Qa4 a6 15.Rad1 b5 16.Qc2 Nc4 17.Bf2 Rc8 18.Qb1 Qa5 19.d5 Bd7 20.Bxc4 Rxc4 21.Nd4 Rfc8 22.Nb3 Qa3 23.Rd3 Qd6 24.Bg3 Qb4 25.d6 Rc2 26.e5 exd6 27.Rxd6 Bf5 28.Qd1 Rxa2 29.Qd5 Qc4 30.Nd4 Qxd5 31.Rxd5 Bd3 32.Rd1 Bf8 33.e6 Bc4 34.exf7+ Kxf7 35.Rd7+ Kg8 36.Be5 Re8 37.f4 b4 38.Rc1 b3 39.Rb1 Rd2 40.h3 Rxe5 41.fxe5 Rxd4 42.Rc7 Bd5 43.Kf2 Rd2+ 0–1

Anyone with a reasonably sized database will find many more examples of the Grunfeld. It has the reputation as the weapon the best players break out when they have the Black pieces and want to play for a win. Mr. Le Cours plays it frequently and is well booked up on the ins and outs of the opening.




14..., Nc4

The game has arrived at typically difficult middle game position for the Grunfeld. In this line neither side’s pawn formation is particularly impressive; the big White center is under considerable pressure, and there seems to be no way for White hang on to the extra pawn. The Grunfeld often leads to these complex battles where positional maneuvering and sharp tactics interact and then resolve into a winning attack, or a clear endgame advantage, for one side or the other.

15.Bf2 Nd2 16.Qd1 Nxe4 17.Qb3+?!,..

The critical moment has arrived. White chooses to activate his Queen. He hopes to distract Black with a threatening gesture; a White Queen appearing on the 7th rank. It is worth consideration, but in the Grunfeld you must look further than in most openings. Here White likely should play; 17 dxc5, and then 17..., e6 18 Qb3 Nxf2 19 Qxe6+ Kh8 20 Kxf2 Qf8+; recovering one of the pawns. The position then presents an interesting question; can the very good Bishop Black has and the weakened state of the White pawns give Black enough to offset White’s extra pawn?

17..., Kh8 18.Qxb7 Nxf2 19.Kxf2 cxd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 21.cxd4 Qxd4+

The more or less forced sequence brings the game to this delicate position; Black has a win here, but he must be accurate. A mistake on his part and all of the good play proceeding could be for naught.

22.Kg3 Qe5+ 23.Kh3 Rf8!?

At this point Black has to calculate accurately: Is it better to play 23..., Rb8; or the text? According to Deep Rybka, 23..., Rb8 24 Qxa7 h5; is winning for Black. The simplified position that comes up it is not easy to evaluate. It is quite human to have some doubts about missed tricks in such situations. The game move, unless you study it very carefully looks to be nearly as good.

24.Rb1,..

The mighty Rybka now claims White is not too badly off, if you don’t give the electronic beast plenty of time to think.

24..., Qe3+

Not too badly off until the text, that is.

25.g3,..

The alternative, 25 Kh4, also is lost after 25..., Kg7 26 Rb5 Rf4 27 Qb8 Re4 28 Rg5 Qf2+ 29 Kh3 Re3+ 30 g3 Re2; but the moves for Black are not easy to find, particularly 26.., Rf4; and 27..., Re4. The text allows the obvious attack along the 2nd rank on h2 making Black’s task easier.

25..., Rf2 26.Qc8+ Kg7 27.g5 Qd2!?

Slippage. Black worries about the White Queen checking from c3. It is not really dangerous because White runs out checking squares after 27..., Qe2 28 Qc3+ Kf7 29 Qb3+ Kf8 30 Qb8+ Kg7; and the only square from which the White Queen can check again is b2 with ruinous loss to follow. Black, of course, threatens mates at h2 and h5. It is entirely understandable for Black to play in a way to keep counter-play to a minimum. The game move however permits White a chance of playing for a few moves longer.

28.Rb7?,..

White has had his confidence in his position beaten down and he does not find the most resistant move; 28 Rh1. Then if 28..., Qxg5?! 29 Qg4, is still won for Black, but the endgame win will take several more moves.

The games of the Grandmasters show us repeatedly the value of stubborn resistance. String the game out enough and there is a chance the opponent will err. Give in too easily and you don’t test your opponent thoroughly. If you analyze results, it becomes clear one big difference between strong players; Class A, Expert and Masters, and the rest is; winning the game you are supposed to win and occasionally obtaining a win or a draw from lost positions. To do that requires the testing of the opponent at every opportunity.

28..., Rxh2+ 0–1

This was a game that demonstrates some key ideas in the Grunfeld, and Mr. Le Cours understood what was required. It was an effective performance and educational for Mr. Furtado no doubt.

The current standings in the Capital District League are:


Matches Games
1 Schenectady Geezers 2-0 6.5
2 Capital Region 1 ½ - 2 ½ 5.5
3 RPI 1-1 4.5
4 Albany A ½ - ½ 2.0
5 Uncle Sam 0-1 1.5
6 Schenectady A 0-0 0.0

Most of the league activity so far has been driven by the Capital Region team. Schenectady A and Albany A will generate quite a bit of activity as they move to catch up on their schedules in the next few weeks. When there are a few more matches completed a better picture of how the race will unfold will be seen.

The Saratoga Club did not field a team this year. As one of the “Big Three” clubs, along with Schenectady and Albany, they always contended for a top place. Now it seems the race for first will be between Albany and Schenectady at first glance. There is a more than one “but” in that judgment; the Geezers were very tough last year and are off to a good start this year, the Capital Region team just might pull off an upset in their last match with Schenectady, and Albany already conceded a draw to the Capital Region team. With a shorter schedule, just five matches, drawn or lost matches can have an important effect on who takes the title. This year a new name may be on the CDCL trophy.

More soon.