GM
V. Bologan (2665) -
IM
Mark Paragua (2529);
[E17]
FIDE WCh KO
Tripoli, LBA / (Rd. # 1.2);
20,06,2004.
[A.J.G.]
Supplementary
Game / Bonus Game (#
01) for the
July (2004) "Game of The
Month."
(From TWIC # 502.)
After a seemingly normal and placid
opening, White becomes violent. The
King-Pawn is suddenly hurled forward,
the object being to quickly create a
passed Pawn.
Black does not find the best defense,
and after some really nice tactics,
the second player goes down in
flames.
A nice game by GM Viktor Bologan.
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*** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The ratings are those of FIDE ...
and are completely accurate.
1.d4
Nf6; 2.c4 e6; 3.Nf3 b6; 4.g3 Bb7;
A standard ...
"Queen's Indian Defense," (Rubinstein Variation);
thus far in the game.
[ See MCO-14, beginning on page
number # 566. Columns # 19 through column # 36 ...
and all applicable
notes. ]
Today this is no longer the main
line, that honor belongs to ... "The Petrosian System."
(The move, a3 on move four,
five, or even on move six.)
The system chosen by White, (the
first player plays g3, and then
fianchetto's the KB);
was probably
the main line for close to 75 years
at the GM level.
5.Bg2 Be7;
6.0-0 0-0; 7.Re1 c5; 8.d5!?, ('!')
{Diagram?}
White plays a standard line...
that seeks to exploit the pin on the
long diagonal.
[ Also acceptable was:
8.Nc3!? ]
8...exd5;
9.Nh4 Ne4!?;
While this is (one) book line, it
does not feel quite right here.
(The ensuing simplifications leave White with a solid edge.)
[ Or
9...d6; 10.cxd5,
"+/="
{Diagram?}
with a solid edge for White.
*******************************
Of course not:
</=
9...d4 ???; 10.Bxb7, ("+/-")
]
10.cxd5! Bxh4;
11.Bxe4 Bg5!?;
While not terrible - this may not
be the answer to all of Black's
problems in this line.
(Maybe ...f5; in this position?)
[ Maybe better is:
(>/=) 11...Bf6; 12.Nc3
d6; 13.Qc2 g6;
14.Bg2 Bg7; 15.Ne4,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
and while White is a fuzz better,
Black at least has a little play.
For example, see the game:
GM Vladimir Akopian
(2660)
-
GM Pavel Kotsur
(2587);
ICT / Masters Section (open)
Dubai, U.A.E; 2000.
(White won in just over 50 moves,
but Black's defence might be
improved in several places.)
]
Now with the move of ...a6; on
move fourteen, Black's position
does not look that bad. Instead
Black places
his Knight on the
edge of the chess board, and it
stays there for nearly the
remainder of this game.
12.Bxg5!? Qxg5;
13.Nc3 d6; 14.Bg2 Na6!?; 15.e4 Rfe8!?;
This looks OK ... (but might not be the most accurate,
especially in the long run).
[
(but) The defensive move of:
>/= 15...Nc7; ('!')
{Diag?}
might have avoided quite a
few problems for Black. ]
16.f4 Qf6;
{See the diagram - - -
just below.}
This is close to being forced.
Black's position is not horrible,
but White owns the center, has
strong pressure
against d6, and has excellent piece play as well.
*************************
*************************
---> The position on the board is a direct
result of the choices that Black made
earlier in the opening.
[ Possible was:
16...Qd8!?
]
17.Nb5! Re7!? ; 18.Qd2!? Rd8!?;
Seems risky to let the a-pawn go,
especially without a concrete
reason.
(Maybe 18...Qh6!?; instead?)
Now White could grab the a-pawn,
but sensibly chooses to centralize
{and develop!} his last piece.
19.Rad1!? Bc8;
Black's position appears stable.
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*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
***
Now White crashes through win a
Pawn avalanche ...
that has been
a threat since the first player got
in both e4 and then f4.
(Nimzovich said that this advance
always greatly increased the first
player's piece play - in these types of positions.)
20.e5!,
('!!')
I like this ... VERY much.
White chooses to break-through,
and do it right up the gut of the
current situation. Bold!
[ Or
20.Qc3 Qxc3; 21.bxc3 f6;
22.Rb1, "+/=" {Diagram?}
and White is at least a little
better in this position. ]
20...dxe5;
21.d6! Ree8?!;
Clearly a miscalculation. {error}
(Although this move might look
forced -
as several of my students
said when we went over this
game together.)
[
Better was:
>/=
21...Re6[]; 22.Qc3!? exf4;
23.Qxf6 Rxe1+;
24.Rxe1 gxf6;
"~" {Diagram?}
with chances to defend. ]
Now several moves ... like Qe2 ...
look very promising for White here.
22.fxe5!?,
{Diagram below.}
While this is good, and maybe
enough to win the game, White
may have missed a big opportunity
in this position.
*************************
*************************
I spent close to 20 minutes here, and
ran this by several different programs.
Apparently Nxa7! was the better move.
[ A sharper continuation was:
>/= 22.Nxa7! Bd7; 23.Nc6 Bxc6;
24.Bxc6 Re6; 25.Bd5! Ree8;
{Diag?}
This looks forced.
( Not </= 25...Rexd6??; 26.fxe5, "+/-" )
26.fxe5 Rxe5; 27.Bxf7+!!,
'±' (Probably - "+/-")
{Diag?}
with a clear - and probably
winning - advantage for White.
(Bologan might have missed
this last tactic in his calculations.) ]
The next few moves look to
be close to being forced, and
are probably best for both sides.
22...Rxe5;
23.Rxe5 Qxe5;
This was (of course) forced, but
now White grabs the only open
file, and with a gain of time
to
boot.
24.Re1 Qf5;
25.Nxa7 Bd7[]; 26.Nc6 Bxc6; 27.Bxc6 Nb8; ('?')
('?')
According to the box, Black has
to play ...h6 in this position. (It
also would not have changed
the
outcome of the game here, as
Black is completely lost.)
28.d7!!,
A very cute tactic ... the threat is
Re8+ with an unavoidable promotion.
(If ...Nxd7; White simply captures,
{Bxd7}; and Black {eventually} loses
a piece due to the
threat of
back-rank mates. So Black Resigns.)
A wonderfully energetic contest by
GM V. Bologan, who apparently
knows the value of a passed Pawn!
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2004. All rights reserved.
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