(GOTM)  Supplementary Game #1 / July, 2004 

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  NOTE:   I don't know if you realize it or not, but this new feature - my  "Game of The Month"  column - is quite popular. It has generated a bare minimum of at least 50 e-mails per month for the last few months. (I would say around 90% or better has been very positive.)

Many of you have complained ... a few, somewhat vociferously ... about the constant diet of KP openings. A small group has said they don't want to see any more Sicilians, at least for a while. To this I can only respond with:  # 1.) I should try to please the largest group possible - something I seem to be managing (to do) currently; and  # 2.) I want to try and make as many of you as happy as I possibly can. (I also want to clearly show that I am listening to ALL of you, and I want to please as many readers and fans as possible.)

In order to show a little balance, I making the main game a Gruenfeld Defence (opening) this month. This game is NOT as deeply annotated as the main game, but if you simply cannot bear the thought of studying yet another KP game, this should give you something else to look at. 

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For this game, I advise that you NOT study this version first. But instead go to the  "The Week In Chess"  web  page  and  download  the last few issues of  TWIC. Then after you have studied that for at least a few hours, come here and study my analysis of this game. (Just a thought here ... on how to study, and try to improve your game.)  


This is basically a text-based page. (With just a few diagrams.)  
  I strongly suggest that you use a chess set.  

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   Click  HERE  to see this game on a  java-script re-play  board.   (Not my site!)  

     Click  HERE  to see an explanation of the symbols I use.     


  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...d610.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...Bf612.Nc3 d613.Qc2 g6;    
       14.Bg2 Bg715.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.  

 

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   gotm_july-04a_pos1.gif, 29 KB

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--->   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.  

  *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***    

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 Qxc321.bxc3 f622.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!? exf423.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.  

 

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   gotm_july-04a_pos2.gif, 29 KB

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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! Bd723.Nc6 Bxc624.Bxc6 Re625.Bd5! Ree8{Diag?}  
       This looks forced. 

          ( Not </=  25...Rexd6??; 26.fxe5, "+/-" )       

       26.fxe5 Rxe527.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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This page was finished a few days ago ... and was posted on  Tuesday;  July 13th, 2004.  Last update: 07/15/2004.  (Last edit or save on:  03/17/2015 .)  


  Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby I  

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