Emil
Sutovsky (2646) - Hikaru Nakamura (2565)
[B30]
It Pamplona, ESP; (Round # 1), 20.12.2003
[A.J. Goldsby I]
****************************************************************************
America's newest GM gets taught
a real chess lesson by a very
talented Russian player.
(GM Emil Sutovsky - age 26 - now
resides in Israel, and was also
considered an extremely
promising
young chess player.) (Game
from "The Week In Chess," # 476.)
****************************************************************************
1.e4 c5;
2.Nf3 Nc6; 3.Bb5!?, {Diagram?}
This is the system known as ... "The Rossolimo Sicilian,"
I believe.
This Bishop sortie is similar to the
Ruy Lopez ... many of the same
positional concepts that work
in that
variation also apply here.
[ The main line is:
3.d4 cxd4; 4.Nxd4 Nf6; 5.Nc3 d6;
"~" {Diag}
with literally hundreds - if not
thousands - of master games
having been
played from this
particular position. ]
3...e6;
{Diagram?}
This move - based on pure principle -
is not all that bad. But in today's very
complex [chess] world, simple
knowledge and general 'rules of
thumbs' are
really not much help.
At the GM level, the best line for Black
is <up and away> considered to continue
with the move ...g6!
*******************************************************************************
[ One [opening] reference book,
instead, gives the continuation:
3...g6; 4.0-0 Bg7;
5.Re1 Nf6; 6.c3 0-0; 7.d4!?,
{Diagram?}
This break in the center has long
been considered mandatory. But
I think that White should seriously
consider possible alternatives.
( Maybe White should take his cue
from the Ruy Lopez - as this position
is very similar to that opening - and
<instead> try the move: 7.h3!?, "+/="
with a small but solid edge
for White in this position. )
7...d5!; 8.e5 Ne4; 9.Nbd2 cxd4;
10.cxd4 Qb6!?; {Diagram?}
The end of the column in MCO.
11.Bxc6!? Qxc6; 12.Nxe4 dxe4; 13.Ng5 Rd8;
14.Bf4 Qd5; "=" {Diag?}
Black has definitely equalized.
GM J. Polgar - GM V. Kramnik;
The Melody Amber Tournament
Monaco, (blindfold)
1994.
[ See MCO-14; page # 353,
column # 1, and also note # (e.). ]
*****************************************************************
Black can also play ...Nd4!? here,
but I do NOT recommend that the
second
player employ this move:
3...Nd4!?; 4.Bc4!?,
{Diagram?}
The most challenging move for
White here, according to many
of my books.
( I would much prefer to play: >/=
4.Nxd4! cxd4; 5.0-0, "+/=" {Diag?}
which is much simpler ... and yields
a VERY solid advantage for White. )
4...g6!?, {Diagram?}
One Russian book gives this
move an exclam ... I think it
is much less than best.
( Indicated was: (>/=)
4...e6!?; "=" )
5.c3 Nxf3+; 6.Qxf3 Nf6;
7.d3! d6; 8.0-0, "+/=" {Diagram?}
White has a very solid advantage
in this particular position. {A.J.G.}
]
*******************************************************************************
4.Bxc6!?,
{Diagram?}
Very provocative. White says,
"I am going to double your Pawns,
no matter what!"
White the doubled pawns are not
terminal (yet), they are very clumsy,
and make it
difficult to organize
the second player's counterplay ...
without giving White a target to
attack.
**************
[
Instead
MCO gives the variation:
4.0-0 Nge7; 5.c3!? a6;
6.Be2!? d5;
7.exd5 Nxd5; 8.d4 cxd4;
9.Nxd4!?, {Diagram?}
This makes things too easy
for Black, and allows too many
exchanges.
( It makes more sense to try: >/=
9.cxd4, "+/=" {Diagram?}
and try to make something
out of White's slight edge in space.
(This exact idea - and position - is
covered in GM A. Baburin's
book on isolated-QP skeletons: "Winning Pawn
Structures.") )
9...Nxd4; 10.Qxd4 Bd7;
{Diagram?}
The end of the column.
11.Bf3 Bc6; 12.Nd2 Qc7;
13.Nc4, "+/=" {Diagram?}
White has a tiny edge, although
according to Kramnik Black
can
equalize with ...b5!
GM V. Kramnik - GM I. Miladinovic;
ICT / Investia-Bank (Open?)
Belgrade, Yugoslavia; 1995.
(A long game - that was drawn.)
[ See MCO-14; page # 353,
column # 3, and also note # (l.). ] ]
**************
4...bxc6;
5.b3!?, {Diagram?}
White chooses a fianchetto ... a
somewhat controversial deployment
at this stage of the game.
[ One book gives the continuation:
5.0-0 Ne7; 6.d3!? Ng6; "="
{Diagram?}
when Black has supposedly
equalized. (I am not so certain.)
The most recent master-level game
that I could find was:
GM Vladislav Nevednichy (2593)
- IM Hugo Tirard (2407);
18th Touraine Open, 2003.
(This game was eventually drawn.) ]
5...d5;
{Diagram?}
Black chooses the most solid move
that he can play in this position ...
but it certainly is not his only choice.
(Besides ...d5, Black also could
consider ...d6; ...f6!?; ...Nf6?!; ...Ne7;
...Qf6!?; ---> and even ...Qb6!?)
[ Very interesting was the move:
5...f6!?;
"~" {Diagram?}
Which is an obvious attempt to
block White's Bishop on the long
diagonal ... but this try has had
little or no GM tests. ]
6.Qe2,
{See the diagram just below.}
Now the first player had to do something
about his unprotected King Pawn.
*************************
(The position just after White plays the move of
6.Qe2.)
*************************
White does not want to play Nc3
or even d3, but instead here opts
to move the Queen.
This position is NOT new, but has
actually occurred in several other
master-level games ...
prior to
this one.
[ Maybe playable is:
6.d3!?,
"=" ]
6...Ne7!?;
{Diagram?}
This is certainly a reasonable move
for Black in this position, but I
imagine the simple ...Nf6;
was
probably better.
[ Black could also play:
6...a5!?; 7.Nc3 Nf6;
8.0-0 c4!?; 9.bxc4 Bb4;
10.Bb2 0-0; 11.e5 Nd7;
12.cxd5 Ba6; 13.d3 cxd5;
"~" {Diagram?}
and although White is a pawn up,
Black apparently had enough play
to
{eventually} draw the game.
GM Ratmir Kholmov -
GM Evgeny Sveshnikov;
URS Cup - Soviet Union /
U.S.S.R; 1984. ]
7.Ba3!? Ng6;
{See the diagram ... just below.}
Black appears to be fine ... many programs even rate Black
as slightly better.
(The position
is probably about equal.)
*************************
(A diagram of the position just after 7...Ng6.)
*************************
At this point, we have a very UN-balanced game ... but with equal
chances for both sides.
[ Interesting is:
7...Qb6!?;
"~" ]
8.0-0 Qa5?!;
(Maybe - '?')
{Diagram?}
The Queen foray {here} is positionally
unjustified, this powerful piece is
completely out of play ...
and will
have to be moved again - to find
a really effective post.
*******
[ Black can equalize completely with:
>/= 8...Qf6!; 9.Nc3 Nf4;
{Diagram?}
Now Black can almost force
a drawn position.
( If instead, the second player
wishes to avoid a possible draw, he can
maintain a very dynamic
position with the move: 9...a5!?; "~" {Diag?}
when Nakamura would have
nothing to fear. )
10.Qe3 d4; 11.e5 dxe3;
12.exf6 exd2; 13.Rfd1 gxf6; 14.Ne4 Be7;
15.Bxc5 Rg8; "="
{Diagram?}
This position is almost completely
equal; Black's advantage of having
the two
Bishops is completely
balanced by his defects in his pawn
skeleton. I really
can't imagine
either player losing from here. ]
*******
9.Bb2 Bd6!?;
(Probably - '?!')
{Diagram?}
Black provokes White ... when it
was not really wise to do so.
(The second player is behind in
development ... and also opens lines.)
[ Maybe safer was the simple
move of: (>/=)
9...f6;
"~" {Diagram?}
when Black looks to be OK. ]
White does not back away from
the challenge laid down by his
opponent.
10.Bxg7!,
{Diagram?}
The complications that arise from
this move are truly mind-boggling.
But White stands no risk of losing
with this move, and ... although this
shot may not
win by force ... the first
player gets at least a chance to (try)
and win the game.
[ Instead the move of
10.e5!?,
"=" {Diagram?}
would have probably led to a quick
and very dull draw. ]
The next few moves are all
forced, or represent best play.
10...Nf4;
11.Qe3! Rg8; 12.e5 Nxg2!;
{See
the diagram just below.}
This move is best ... and seemingly
leads to a decent advantage for
Black.
But appearances can be very
deceiving ... especially in chess.
*************************
(The
position just after 12...Nxg2! by Black.)
*************************
I did not have time - because of the
holidays - to show this game to a lot
of students, or do any real (Internet)
polling ... as concerns this game. But
I would guess that the average player,
much like my roommate, would think
Black was better from this position.
[ After the moves:
</= 12...Qb4?!; 13.exd6 Rxg7;
14.g3, "+/=" {Diagram?}
White holds a slight advantage.
(Black is behind in development,
his position is disorganized, and
he is also very weak on the dark
squares - in this position.) ]
13.Qh6!,
{See the diagram ... just below.}
One of those sneaky "in-between"
moves - also known as a ...
"zwischenzug." This was probably
the move that Nakamura must have
missed - or severely underestimated -
from this position, when he began his
calculations for this combination.
*************************
The position just after White plays his
excellent thirteenth move. (13.Qh6!)
*************************
This is one of those games that even
a strong computer has difficulty in
trying to determine
what the best
move is.
[ After the simple moves of:
13.Kxg2 Rxg7+; 14.Kh1 Be7;
"=/+" {Diag?}
Black is probably slightly better.
]
13...Ne1;
{Diagram?}
Black must try something sneaky,
as he is rapidly being outplayed.
**************
[ After the plausible moves:
13...Nh4!?; 14.exd6!
Nxf3+;
15.Kh1 Ba6; 16.d3,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
we have transposed back into
the {actual} game.
*******
Maybe playable for Black was:
13...Ne3!?; ('?!')
14.Qxh7 Rxg7+;
{Diag?}
This is forced, here.
15.Qxg7 Bf8; 16.Qg8 Nxc2!;
17.Ng5 Qc7; 18.Nc3 Nxa1; 19.Nh7,
19...Qe7; 20.Rxa1,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White is a little better, but this
position could be 'drawable' for
Black.
(With a lot of work.) ]
**************
14.exd6!,
{Diagram?}
Once again, White shows that he
does not fear the complications.
In a way, this was forced, as it
appears that the position that arises
after
14.Rxe1
(clearly) favors Black.
[ After the moves of:
</= 14.Rxe1!? Bf8; 15.Kh1 Rxg7;
16.Qh5 Qb4;
"=/+" (Maybe - '/+') {Diagram?}
Black has nothing to fear. ]
The next few moves appear to be
forced and/or best for both sides.
14...Nxf3+;
15.Kh1 Ba6; 16.d3 Qd8!?; ('?!/?')
(Inaccurate?)
{Diagram
below.}
Black decides to rid himself of the
annoying White pawn on d6, but
he probably jumps too
early at
the possibility of getting rid of this
button. (There is also a definite loss
of time that is
associated with this
move.)
*************************
The position in the game just after Black played
16...Qd8.
*************************
After a couple of weeks of analysis,
I have come to the conclusion that
Black's game cannot be saved after
this move. But it also takes some
pretty and imaginative play by White
to drive home this point!
***************
[
Maybe better was:
>/= 16...Qb6!?; 17.Qxh7 0-0-0;
18.Bf6 Rdf8; 19.Qh5,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
and although White appears to be
slightly better in this position,
I am
sure that this would have been
better than the actual game.
*******
Maybe also playable was:
16...0-0-0!?; 17.Bc3 Qb6;
18.Qf4 Nd4;
19.Bxd4 cxd4; 20.Qxf7
Kb8!; "~" {Diagram?}
with a very wild position. ]
***************
17.Nd2!,
(Maybe - '!!')
{Diagram?}
An extremely good move ... Black's
reply is forced. And it is not at all
obvious -
... at least, not to me -
what White intends as a follow-up.
[ 17.Qxh7!? Kd7!;
18.Bc3 Qf8; "~"
]
17...Nxd2;
18.Rg1!!, {Diagram?}
A truly brilliant and inspired move,
and yet another "in-between move."
(The expected move was probably
the re-capture of the Knight on d2.)
*******
[ The alternatives for White were
not at all good:
18.Qxd2 Rxg7;
"-/+" {Diagram?}
Black has an extra piece.
***
Or even the continuation:
18.Bf6 Qxd6; 19.Rg1 Kd7!;
"/+" {Diagram?}
and Black is clearly better.
]
*******
18...Qxd6;
{Diagram?}
This is practically forced for Black, ...
he gets into a LOT of trouble if he
tries to save his Knight on d2!
*******
[ After the moves:
</= 18...Ne4?!; 19.dxe4 Be2;
20.Qf4,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White is clearly better.
(Maybe "+/");
***
Very bad for Black was:
</= 18...Nf3?; 19.Bf6! Rxg1+!?;
20.Rxg1 Qxd6;
{Diagram?}
Black has little choice now.
( After the moves of: </= 20...Nxg1?!;
21.Bxd8 Rxd8;
22.Kxg1, ("+/-") {Diag?} Black should simply resign.
)
21.Rg8+ Kd7; 22.Rxa8 Kc7
[]; {Diagram?}
This looks like it is forced
... to avoid a loss of a piece.
23.Rd8!,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
when White has an easily won
game - Black probably has to
play ...Qxh2+; in this position. ]
*******
The next series of moves look
to be best ... for both parties.
19.Qxd2 0-0-0;
20.Qh6 Bb7; 21.Bf6 Rxg1+; 22.Rxg1 Re8;
23.Qxh7,
"+/=" {See
the diagram, just below here.}
With this move ... White finally
re-establishes material equality.
*************************
(This is
the actual game position after White's twenty-third move -
23.Qxh7.)
*************************
Now which side is better?
With Black's Bishop blocked behind his
Pawns, White's pieces are much more
active
than their Black counterparts,
and the fact that Black cannot deal with
the passed White
KRP effectively ...
all these factors mean White holds a
very real and significant advantage.
(Despite the presence of the opposite-colored Bishops here.)
[ Interesting was:
23.Rg7!? ]
23...Qf4!?;
{Diagram?}
This loses an exchange by force.
It would have been very easy to label
this move a lemon, attach a question
mark,
and say that this move is the
reason Black lost this game. But this
would not be true,
Black's problems
started long ago ... in this game!
The move ...Qf4; - sacrificing the
exchange for counterplay - may be
the only
practical chance left for
Black.
*************************
[ Seemingly better was
...Qd7. But a
very deep analysis of this position
reveals
that Black is probably lost.
I could offer reams of analysis here,
but will content
myself with just one
line - to demonstrate White's edge:
</= 23...Qd7!?;
('?!') {Diagram?}
The problem with this move is that
Black is extremely passive and has ....
almost no counterplay.
24.Rg8! d4!?;
{Diagram?}
Black has few viable choices here.
**************
( Black is also worse after each
of the following continuations:
Variation # 23B1a.)
</=
24...Rxg8?; 25.Qxg8+ Kc7; 26.Qf8! d4; 27.Qxc5 Qd5+;
28.Qxd5 exd5; 29.Bxd4,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
White has a won game.
***
Variation # 23B1b.)
24...Kb8!?; ('?!') 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8; 26.c4! d4!?;
27.h4!, '±' {Diagram?} as in many variations, Black
cannot
effectively deal with the
advance of the White h-pawn.
***
Variation # 23B1c.)
24...c4!?; 25.Qh8 Rxg8; 26.Qxg8+ Kc7; 27.Qf8! cxd3;
28.cxd3 Ba6; 29.d4 Kb7; 30.Kg2!, '±' {Diagram?}
with Be5 to follow ... Black is virtually
defenseless on the dark squares. )
**************
25.h4!,
'±' {'+/'} (Maybe "+/-")
{Diagram?}
White's plan of advancing his RP
all the way to h7 - and then create
winning threats
thanks to the pawn
- Black has no adequate answer
for this simple but effective plan. ]
*************************
24.Rg8! Qxf6;
{Diagram?}
Now White wins an exchange ... and
the win is only ...
"a matter of technique."
But I must stress that the average
player should study the remainder of this game ...
VERY CAREFULLY!!!
(This technique is very fine, and it is
well worth the effort to study and
acquire it.)
*******
[ Even worse for Black is:
</= 24...Rxg8?!; ('??')
25.Qxg8+ Kc7;
26.Qxf7+!?,
26...Kb8; 27.Qxe6 Qf3+;
{Diagram?}
Something like this appears forced.
( </= 27...Bc8??; 28.Be5+ Kb7?;
29.Qe7+ Ka6; 30.Bxf4, "+/-" )
28.Kg1 Qd1+; 29.Kg2 Kc7;
{Diagram?}
There are few good choices for
Black in this position.
( </= 29...a6??; 30.Qd6+ Ka8;
31.Qf8+ Ka7!?; 32.Qxc5+, "+/-" {D?}
and Black should be mated in
something like five or six moves.
Or </= 29...Qxc2 ???; 30.Be5+ Ka8;
31.Qg8+ Bc8; 32.Qxc8#. )
The remainder of these moves are
nearly forced or best.
30.b4! Kb6; 31.bxc5+ Ka6;
32.h4 Qxc2!?; 33.Qf5 Qxa2; 34.h5 Qd2;
35.Bg7,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
and Black cannot stop the triumphant march
of the White
h-pawn. (It is not always necessary
to calculate such variations,
an
experienced player knows that the
second player has a bad Bishop
will be
virtually defenseless on the
dark squares.)
*****
A wonderful piece of analysis to be sure, but the move of
26.Qxf7+, ('??')
can be improved upon ...
and considerably so.
(26.Qd8#.)
{My thanks to Steven Etzel for catching this and pointing it out!}
--->
Monday; February 02nd, 2004. ]
*******
The win here is not at all easy,
the White King will soon become
very exposed.
(One careless move
could easily throw away the win!)
25.Rxe8+ Kd7;
26.Rg8! Qxf2; 27.Qh3 c4; 28.Qg2 Qf4; 29.Rg3! Qc1+;
30.Qg1 Qxc2;
{Diagram?}
Black is almost holding his own. (Or so it seems.)
[ 30...Qd2!?
]
Now White both activates the Queen, and snips off a valuable
pawn.
31.Qxa7
Qd1+; 32.Kg2 Qe2+!?; {Diagram?}
This loses ... as after the interposition
of Qf2, the Queens come off.
But there
were very few playable alternatives.
[ Not
</= 32...Kc8??; 33.Rg8+, ("+/-")
{Diagram?}
and White has a winning attack.
*******
Also unsavory for Black was:
</= 32...Kc7?!; 33.Rg7! Qc2+;
34.Qf2 cxd3!;
35.Kg3! Qxf2+; 36.Kxf2 Ba6;
37.Rxf7+ Kd6; 38.Ke3! d4+!; 39.Kd2[],
39...e5; 40.Ra7! Bc8;
41.Kxd3, '±' {Diagram?}
& White should win here, it
is only a matter of technique. ]
White's next move is pretty much
forced. Otherwise Black would
probably
be able obtain a draw by
a "perpetual check."
33.Qf2 cxd3;
{Diagram?}
This is pretty much forced.
*****************
[ Even worse was:
</=
33...Qxf2+?; 34.Kxf2 cxd3;
35.Rxd3 e5;
36.h4! d4; 37.h5 c5;
38.h6 Be4; 39.Rh3! Bh7; 40.Rg3 Ke6;
41.Rg7 Bd3; 42.h7 Bxh7;
43.Rxh7, ("+/-")
{Diagram?}
with an easily won game.
*******
</=
33...Qd1?; ('??')
34.Qxf7+ Kd6; 35.Qf8+! Ke5;
36.Qh8+ Kd6;
37.Qb8+! Kc5; 38.b4+! Kd4;
39.Qa7+ c5; 40.Qxc5+ Kc3; 41.dxc4+ Kb2;
42.Qf2+ Ka1; 43.Rg7! Ba8;
44.Ra7! Qg4+; 45.Qg3 Qe2+; 46.Kh1! Bc6;
{D?}
Black has to play this.
( Not 46...Qf1+?; 47.Qg1,
{Diagram?}
and the Queens come off the
chess board. )
47.b5!, ("+/-")
{Diagram?}
and White has a winning attack. ]
*****************
34.Qxe2 dxe2;
{See
the diagram just below.}
One (older) program considers this
position to be slightly better for Black.
The material situation is not so bad,
but Black will soon realize that the
White h-Pawn cannot be stopped.
*************************
The actual game position after Black's 34th
move. (...dxe2)
*************************
Now that the Queens have been
exchanged, Black's counterplay has
been reduced to almost zero.
The first - very obvious - step,
is for White to neutralize the very
dangerous Black Pawn
on the
e2-square.
35.Kf2! d4; 36.h4! c5;
37.h5 Be4; 38.Kxe2 e5; 39.h6 Kc6;
40.a4!,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
The win is pretty simple from here,
Black's King is of little use, and the
Bishop
cannot stop two passed,
far-advanced Rook-Pawns ...
at the same time!
An extremely good game by the
(former) Russian star, Sutovsky.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2003 & 2004.
(I first annotated this game - roughly - in December, 2003. Then I re-did
it before posting it here.)
[ After the somewhat simple moves:
40.a4! Kd5; 41.Rg7 Ke6;
42.h7 Bxh7;
43.Rxh7 f5!?; 44.a5 e4;
45.a6 d3+; 46.Ke3 Ke5; 47.Rh4 f4+;
48.Rxf4,
48...d2; 49.Rf1,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
the position is completely without ...
even a glimmer of hope ...
... for Black. ]
1 - 0
********************************************************************************
All
games - the HTML code was originally - Generated
with the program,
ChessBase
8.0.
All diagrams were created with the program -
Chess
Captor 2.25.
|