GOTM; March, 2015.   


Welcome to my  "Game of The Month"  feature!  (Game # 56, for March, 2015.)   (A list of all the main games on this website.)   

This is a game, that is annotated - by me - for your enjoyment. Hopefully it is done in a way that is both entertaining and also informative, there are certainly lots of diagrams - and (usually) a link to a re-play page as well. The main purpose {and thrust} of this column is to try and educate the general chess public. 

I have deeply annotated this game on my hard drive, you are welcome to contact me if you would like to try and obtain a copy. (Because of copyright violations, I ONLY offer a printed version! I simply cannot afford to "give away" the electronic version any longer ...)

This is a feature where I will try to pick a game that was recently played at the GM level. Then I will annotate it and try to basically explain what happened. ---> While I would not mind if an expert (or even a master!) enjoyed my work here, this column is aimed primarily at lower-rated players.  
(Say 1600 & below.)
 The main idea is to help lower-rated players learn the finer points of the game!!!    

I hope that you enjoy this game ... feedback is both encouraged and welcome. (Please respect my copyright.) 
(This means do NOT!!! copy any of my work ... and post it on another website ... unless you get my WRITTEN permission, first!)    

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With everything that I present here: Analysis, full opening survey, commentary, many corresponding links, a free PDF file of my CB work,  a link to my own YT video, etc; I consider this to be the most in-depth and exhaustive coverage of any chess game ... to be found anywhere on the Internet. 


   Click  HERE    to see an explanation of the symbols I commonly use - when annotating a chess game.   (Another page - where I explain the symbols that I commonly use.)   


The following game - which is NOT the main game, see below - is used here -  for the following reasons:  
A.)
I think it has some value for teaching beginners. {Basic opening concepts.}  B.) It is the same opening as the main game.   C.) It is basically just an opening trap. {I try to collect/showcase these.}  D.) It is also unique, as far as I know.  

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  Prologue/Intro Game  

   *****************   

   A.J. Goldsby - M. Weeks   
[C42]
  Mobile City Champ. / Mobile, AL (R#3) 1988.  

  [A.J.G.]  

 

I believe that this game was from a 7-round, Game/30 min. tournament that I won. [7-0] 
(The old, tick-tock BHB clocks were {mostly} used back then ... the kind that had a red flag that fell and this meant that you had lost the game. 
 I used to have the trophy for this tournament, but I lost it or misplaced it many years ago.)  

I used to tell people that White's play was perfect, you simply could not improve on this game ... until I actually analyzed this game with a really strong chess engine. 
(What an eye-opening experience that was!) 

This game is also a stark warning about the dangers of wasting time... especially in all of the double-KP openings!!!    

     1.e4 e52.Nf3 Nf6;   

I don't think that Mercon played the Petroff all the time, I think he meant to surprise me with this game ... 
as Tom Denton once noted, I could (occasionally) lay an egg when confronted with a new opening. 
(When my opponent varied from his usual choice of openings.) 

Play proceeds normally for the next few moves. 
(6...Nc6; is a standard book line, but I have never seen a game where a lower-rated player used it and did well with this system.)   

     3.Nxe5 d64.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d56.Bd3 Nc6!? 7.0-0 a6!?;   

This move was totally unnecessary and a waste of time. 
(Maybe - '?' No Knight is threatening to go to b5, and I don't think that White would want to move his LSB a second time! 
 And after the "book" move of 7...Be7; White only as a small edge here.)  

     8.Re1 f5!?(hits e4)  

This loosens Black's position quite a bit ... but the alternative was to simply lose a Pawn.   

 

The next few moves look to all be best play here.   

     9.c4 Be710.cxd5 Qxd5 11.Nc3 Nxc3{Box?}      

I remember how ... in the old days of chess, before they had chess engines ... 
how we would argue (almost endlessly!) over what the bad move in a game really was.  

Here Black plays a move that looks perfectly natural, and the engines see it as being best/forced, 
yet many strong players - that were present at the tournament - felt that this move was really bad ... 
and maybe even was the losing move here.   

     12.bxc3 0-013.Qe2,    

This strong move - which is the first choice of all the better engines - is too obvious to rate an exclamation mark.   
(Several players at the tournament thought that Rb1 or even the subtle Bc2 might have been better than my move.)   

 

gotm_mar15__sg-pos1.jpg, 57 KB

 

 

                         [ Also good was:  RR  13.Rb1!?, '±' ('+/') with a big edge for White. ]   

 

     13...b5?!(Probably  just - '?')  (>/= 13...Kh8)    

This was definitely risky, tucking the Black King away in the corner was much better. 

 

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

Now all that White has to do to win the game is to bust up Black's exposed Pawn structure. 

     14.c4(hmmm)    

     I used to give this move an exclam and tell everyone that it was obviously best.    

          [ It IS a good move ... 

             A.) It hits the BQ. 
             B.) It gains time. 
             C.) It opens lines. 
             D.) Black's Pawn structure has now been divided into three different islands.
]  

Yet, White had a better move according to the metal monsters.  

 

                         [ A definite improvement was the play of:  >/=  14.a4!, '+-'  ---> DF-14 ]   

 

And ... again, according to the chess engines ... Black's next move is forced. 
(Although several players - at the MCC - questioned it and wanted to award it a question mark.)  

     14...Qd6[]15.cxb5!,   (Strong & good.)   

The best move. 

 

                         [ One strong player - who shall remain nameless here - felt that 15.d4-d5, was MUCH better ... 
                            and would even win a piece for White. (See the analysis below.)   

                           Much inferior was:    </=  15.d5?! Bf6!16.Rb1 Nb4; 17.Ba3,  "+/="  ---> DF-14. ]    

 

     15...axb516.Bxb5,   (button)   

An easy move to play for White ... not only does the first player win a Pawn, there is also the very real threat of BxN/c6, followed by QxB/e7, winning a piece.    

 

   r1b2rk1/2p1b1pp/2nq4/1B3p2/3P4/5N2/P3QPPP/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 16   

 

It is time for a diagram ... so we can assess the position.   

 

                     [ RR 16.Bb2 b4?17.d5!,  +- ]   

 

Now 16...Bd7; looked to be best, however, analysis shows that Black is already clearly lost - in any case. 
 ('+-'   +3.86 ... DF-14.) 

Now Black drops a piece ... and then simply gives up.   
(At first, I thought that Black, with his next move, simply blunders. However, an analysis with any engine quickly reveals that Black was already lost, no matter what he did.) 

 

     16...Bf6(?)17.Qc4+,    

1-0, Black Resigns. (My opponent is losing the Black Knight on c6.)    

 

 

gotm_mar15__sg-pos2.jpg, 56 KB

 

   Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2015.  All rights reserved.    

 

    1 - 0   


 The Players

gotm_mar-15_nepo.jpg, 14 KB

gotm_mar2015-grig.jpg, 19 KB

   GM Ian Nepomniachtchi   

     GM Sergey Grigoriants   

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   Nepo's page on the CG website.  

Nepo's  FIDE profile page.   

    Grigoriants' page on the CG website.  

Grigoriants' FIDE profile page

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   Click  HERE    to see an explanation of the symbols I commonly use - when annotating a chess game.   (Another page - where I explain the symbols that I commonly use.)   

    Click  HERE    to go to another server ... where you can search for this game in a "re-playable" format. (This is NOT my site! Do NOT write me about the content!!!)  

    Click  HERE    to go to my channel on the "You-Tube" network/server.  (Click  HERE  to watch my "You-Tube" video on this game.)  

   (Click  HERE  to see the ChessBase story on final round of this tournament.)    Click  HERE  to see a "star-dot-pdf" file of my analysis.    


   GM I. Nepomniachtchi (2714) - GM S. Grigoriants (2573)   
   [C43]   
   Aeroflot Open,  "A"   
   Moscow, RUS; (R# 2.12) / March 28th, 2015.   

gotm_mar-2015_medal.png, 02 KB

   [A.J. Goldsby I]   


 The "Game of The Month" for March, 2015.  

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This game features a young player that I have never shown the spotlight on before, and it also showcases an opening that I have not looked at in quite some time.  

     1.e4 e52.Nf3 Nf6;   

The Petroff Defense. (Petrov/Russian Defence.) [more, more, more]  

 

 

gotm_mar15-pos1.jpg, 125 KB

   rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/5n2/4p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 3   

 

Of course, this opening was a big favorite of {former} World Champion Karpov and also pioneered ... in a really big way ... 
by the great American, GM Frank J. Marshall. This is an opening that seems to be (mostly) ignored by contemporary GM's in our current era. 
(Of course, far fewer GM's use 1.e4, nowadays - so all of these lines have waned somewhat over the course of the last 30+ or so years.)   

 

     3.d4!?,  (Maybe - '!')   

This move - which blows up the center - was popular over 100 years ago. 

 

gotm_mar15-pos2.jpg, 125 KB

   rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/5n2/4p3/3PP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq d3 0 3   

 

I think that Nepomniachtchi used this line so as to quickly get off the beaten path ... of known/mainline theory. 

 

                         [ The main line would have to be: 
                            (>/=)  RR  3.Nxe5 d64.Nf3 Nxe45.d4 d56.Bd3 Nc67.0-0 Be7;    
                             8.c4 Nb49.Be2 0-010.Nc3, "+/="  (A small plus for White.)   
                             with White holding a slight edge here.   

                             [ See MCO-15, page #98;  columns number one through col. number six,   
                                 (col. # 1 thru #6); (mainly column # 03); and also all applicable notes. ]    

                           A good - and relatively recent example of this line - would have to be:    
                           GM T. Radjabov - GM A. GiriFIDE Grand Prix (R# 10.1)    
                            / Tbilisi, Georgia (RUS) / 2015.
{A tough draw in over 50 or so moves.} ]   

 

     3...Nxe4(liquidation)  

Black grabs the center Pawn, this is one of Black's most solid and reliable lines here.    

 

gotm_mar15-pos3.jpg, 125 KB

   rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/3Pn3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4   

 

White has to be careful so as not to allow the f2-square to become over-burdened, (see the note after Black's fourth move in this game). 

 

                         [ The main alternative to ...NxP/e4 is taking White's QP on d4, for example:   
                            3...exd44.e5 Ne45.Qxd4 d56.exd6 Nxd67.Nc3 Nc68.Qf4 g6;  
                            9.Bd2 Bg710.0-0-0, "+/="  10...0-0;  "<=>"  (Black has some counterplay here.)   
                            when Black's position looks to be fully playable.   

                           [ See MCO-15, page # 101; column # 12, & all notes. ]   

                            One of the few good games in this system would have to be this older gem:    
                            Y. Sakharov - S. Furman / [C43] / URS-ch sf / Kiev, USSR; (R#13) / 1957.    
                            {White won a nice game in a total of 45 moves; see the moves - here, (on this page); just after the main game.} ]    

 

     4.dxe5!?,  (open lines)    

My opinion is that this is a fully playable line for White, although it is condemned by a couple of opening books  ...  and at least one DVD.  
(I base this on several years of analysis with engines - although you can forgive me if I do not divulge any of that work here.)    

 

                         [ Modern theory shows that the first player should play the following   
                            opening branch as being possibly the best mode of play for White:  
                            RR  4.Bd3! d5!(center)     
                            Once more, note how Black ignores trying to win material and just plays for holding the center of the board. 

                                            ( RR 4...Nc6!?5.dxe5 d56.exd6 Nxd67.0-0 Be78.Nc3,  '~'  (unclear) )   

                            5.Nxe5 Nd76.Nxd7 Bxd77.0-0, "+/="  (w / a plus?)  when White might have a tiny edge here.  

                            [ See MCO-15; pg. #101;  column # 09 & all notes. ]    

                             Note the relevant contest:    
                             GM Magnus Carlsen (2826) - GM Wang Yue (2732); [C43] /   
                             ICT / Third Pearl Springs / Nanjing, China / 22,10,2010.    
                             {White won a tough game ... in just over fifty moves.} ]   

 

     4...d5;  (hmmm)    

This is OK, and is also a safe and solid move here for Black. 
(A very famous example of  4...d5;  would have to be:   
GM B. Jobava - GM A. Grischuk; ICT / FIDE World Cup; Khanty-Mansiysk, RUS; 2009. 
{White lost his Queen - and then resigned - in only 16 moves! See http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1565514.}.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos4.jpg, 125 KB

   rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/8/3pP3/4n3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq d6 0 5   

 

However, a very important alternative ... and one that was (at one time) hotly debated by opening theory, would have been 4...Bc5.   

 

                         [ Instead, after the variation of:  (>/=)  RR  4...Bc55.Qd5!? Bxf2+!6.Ke2 f5!;  "=/+"  (A slight plus for Black.)  
                           Black probably stands a little bit better here.   

                           See the contest:  GM Adam TukhaevIM Oleg V. IvanovNational Champ. Tourn. / Alushta, UKR; 2009.    
                           {A long, tough draw ... in almost eighty total moves - incredible!} (The moves to the game are given on this page.) ]    

 

     5.Nbd2 Nc5!?;  (tempi?)   

 

Black loses some time with this retreat, but it should not be fatal, as long as both sides don't get too creative. 
(The engines still assess this position as being relatively equal here.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos5.jpg, 123 KB

   rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/8/2npP3/8/5N2/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6   

 

I know that, in one well-known game, that Black would usually swap on d2 ... and also get a fully playable game, as well. 
(See the note given below.)   

 

                         [ A safe route for Black ... (but possibly a very boring one) ... would be the following line:    
                            RR  5...Nxd26.Bxd2 Be77.Bf4 c58.c3 Nc69.Bd3 Be6;  "="  (equal)    
                            N. Short - Y. SeirawanLugano, 1986.  {See / re-play that game.}  

                            [ See MCO-15, pg. # 101;  col. #09, and also note (i). ] ]    

 

Now the indicated move is 6.Nb3, and this is what "Nepo" plays here. 

     6.Nb3 Nxb3!?;     

This seems to open the a-file here for White maybe 6...Ne6; was just a little better.    

 

                         [ (>/=)  6...Ne67.c4 dxc48.Qxd8+ Nxd89.Bxc4,  '~'  (unclear) ]   

 

     7.axb3 Be7;  8.Bd3 c5;   9.c3 Nc6;  "="  (equal)    

This has got to be a level position here, but now both sides have a lot of choices to make here.    

 

gotm_mar15-pos6.jpg, 123 KB

   r1bqk2r/pp2bppp/2n5/2ppP3/8/1PPB1N2/1P3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 10   

 

The machine likes 0-0 here for White, but the GM finds a slightly different try.    
(10.Ra4!? prepares a possible Rook transfer to the K-side and also prevents ...Bg4; by Black.)  

     10.Ra4!? Be6;  11.0-0 h6;    

This stops any and all thoughts of White playing his DSB to g5 ... but it also slightly weakens Black's Kingside here. 
(The box liked 11...a6.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos7.jpg, 123 KB

   r2qk2r/pp2bpp1/2n1b2p/2ppP3/R7/1PPB1N2/1P3PPP/2BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 12   

 

Now both sides have got to make a plan for the coming middlegame.   

 

     12.Re1(Safety.)   

This is a simple and also a solid move ... 

White simply defends his important center Pawn.    

 

                         [ The engines like:  (>/=)  RR  12.Bc2 Qc713.h3 a6;  "="  - Deep Fritz 14. ]    

 

Now the machines likes  12...Qb6;  followed by 13...a7-a6; but there is only a minor difference between the two moves. 

     12...Qd7;  13.Bd2 Rd8;  14.Qc2 a6;  15.h3! Qc8;    

It is still a fairly level game, neither side has any real advantage here.    

 

gotm_mar15-pos8.jpg,  124 KB

   2qrk2r/1p2bpp1/p1n1b2p/2ppP3/R7/1PPB1N1P/1PQB1PP1/4R1K1 w k - 0 16   

 

Both sides are playing well, but the position is pretty complicated, there are a great deal of things to look at every move.   

 

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

 

Now the engines like 16.Bf4, for White, when  16....0-0;  gives Black a rock-solid position. 
(However, "Nepo" plays a second alternative which plunges the game into a deep mire of obtuse and wild complications.)   

 

     16.Rf4!? b5!?;  (space)    

Thus far, it is a level game, but now White gets maybe a little too experimental. 
(Most engines liked simply castling on the 16th move for Black)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos9.jpg, 123 KB

   2qrk2r/4bpp1/p1n1b2p/1pppP3/5R2/1PPB1N1P/1PQB1PP1/4R1K1 w k b6 0 17   

 

This would be a good place for diagram, (see just above); as the fireworks are about to start.   

 

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

 

     17.h4!?,  (Probably dubious!?)    

White goes for some unclear play with some attacking chances on the King-side.   

However, the computer shows this to be a dangerous for White, the "evals" immediately begin to tip in Black's favor. 
(In the final analysis ... ... ... after nearly a month of work ... I never found a clear refutation of White's overall concept. So ... maybe 17.h4!!?) 

 

                         [ White could maintain a level playing field with the following continuation here:    
                            >/=  17.Bf5 0-018.Bxe6 Qxe619.Qd3, '~'  (unclear)   
                            when Black looks to have the better dynamic chances. ]   

 

The next few moves look to be forced, (for both sides).   

     17...g518.Rf6[] g4 19.Nh2[],  (Forced?)   

Thus far, both sides have been playing "forced" moves, but now Black decides to grab the Rook ...    

 

gotm_mar15-pos10.jpg, 122 KB

   2qrk2r/4bp2/p1n1bR1p/1pppP3/6pP/1PPB4/1PQB1PPN/4R1K1 b k - 0 19   

 

This will give White clear attacking chances on the dark squares ... for a very long time.    

 

Now the machines like 19...d4; and 19...h5. 

     19...Bxf6!?;  (hmmm)   

Black decides to accept White's offer, however, he may have regretted this decision later on.   

 

                         [ Probably better was:  (>/=)  RR  19...d4!20.Rxh6 Rxh6;     
                            21.Bxh6 Bxh422.Bf4 dxc3 23.bxc3 Bxb3!;  "=/+"  (w/an edge)   
                            Black has an extra Pawn ...  and real winning chances. ]   

 

     20.exf6 Kd7;  (Maybe - '!')   

This is probably the most accurate, if Black's King remains on the K-side, he might get hammered. 
(20...Kd7; is also the first choice of all the chess engines, as well. 20...h5; 21.Bf5, Kd7; may simply transpose back into the continuation that was played in the actual game.)    

 

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

 

Up to this point, the game been of an extremely high caliber. However, now the game sees several miscues, one can only guess as to the reason why.   
{Stress? Time pressure? Something else?}   

 

Now Fritz and Houdini seem to prefer 21.Bf4, here. 

     21.Bf5 h5!?;  (hmmm)   

It is easy to criticize a GM ... who is playing moves in the heat of battle ... especially when you can (repeatedly) run a half dozen of the world's best chess engines in the background ... 
while you play "armchair QB" free of stress, and offer advice while comfortably sipping a cup of coffee. (I have almost no respect players who have never really played the game and have never experienced the trauma and tension of tournament chess.) And while I fully appreciate the strain of tournament chess, it is also a good annotator's job to try and find improvements for a game that they are examining.     

 

gotm_mar15-pos11.jpg, 122 KB

   2qr3r/3k1p2/p1n1bP2/1ppp1B1p/6pP/1PP5/1PQB1PPN/4R1K1 w - - 0 22   

 

Having said it, (see the diatribe in the paragraph given above); I still must remark that 21...h5; was probably not the best, and that 21...Rde8; and 21...Bxf5; were probably superior to the try of 21...P-KR4 here.   

 

                         [ The following variation was probably (at least) a small improvement over the game:  
                            (>/=)   RR  21...Bxf522.Qxf5+ Kc723.Qf4+!? Kb624.Nxg4,  '~'  (unc)  
                                      
(Unclear, close to level?)    
                             when neither side can brag of holding any real appreciable edge in this position. ]     

 

When attacking, and I cannot find a clear line leading to an advantage, I like to make a move that pins my opponent down and also restricts the overall movement of his most important pieces. (This is exactly what "Nepo" does here.)    

 

     22.Bf4,  (Maybe - '!')    

I like this, however, many of the better engines prefer the immediate capture on the e6-square. (See below.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos12.jpg, 122 KB

   2qr3r/3k1p2/p1n1bP2/1ppp1B1p/5BpP/1PP5/1PQ2PPN/4R1K1 b - - 0 22   

 

Now Black is in a jam and cannot easily wiggle out if it ... at least, not in this position.    

 

                        [ After BxB/e6; White can easily get a big advantage, what follows is just one sample line:     
                          (>/=)   RR  22.Bxe6+ fxe623.Qg6! Rdg8;  
                                         (23...Rdf8!?;  24.f7! Nd8;  25.Bg5!,  '+/='  w / an edge)    
                           24.Qf7+ Kd625.c4!,  '/\'  (with the initiative)    
                            when White seems to have a small edge and an enduring attack.    
                            (White's big threat is Bf4+ next, and Black cannot ignore this.) ]   

 

     22...Rde8?!;  (hmmm)  (Maybe an error?)    

Black plays what he probably believes to be a good move, however, it transpires that Black's last move was simply just a mistake.      

 

gotm_mar15-pos13.jpg, 123 KB

   2q1r2r/3k1p2/p1n1bP2/1ppp1B1p/5BpP/1PP5/1PQ2PPN/4R1K1 w - - 0 23    

 

Black has problems here ... yet he was far from being dead lost in this position.    

 

                         [ Both of the following tries were a clear (and solid) improvement over the actual game:  >/=   

                           RR  22...Qb7!23.Nf1,  '~'  (unclear)   and also ... 

                           RR  22...Rhe823.Rd1, '+/='  (Small plus for White.)    

                           Both lines minimize the problems that Black had during the game. ]    

 

     23.Rd1, '±'  23...d4?!;  (Maybe - '?')     

This causes Black even more trouble here, 23...Na5; is a much better move here. 
(The last thing Black needs to do here is open lines for all of White's pieces - making his opponent's attack even more virulent than it already was.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos14.jpg, 123 KB

   2q1r2r/3k1p2/p1n1bP2/1pp2B1p/3p1BpP/1PP5/1PQ2PPN/3R2K1 w - - 0 24   

 

Now we have to have another look at the position ... and try to understand what happens next.   

 

                         [ A fairly decent improvement here would be the following line for Black:    
                            >/=  23...Na524.b4 Nb725.c4!!,  '±'  (w / a big edge)    
                                           (25...d4; 26.Be4, with Black having a tough position.)   
                             ... when White's onslaught will be hard to stop. ]    

 

     24.cxd4!,  (Best.)    

This is the most precise move for White, it also follows the well-known idea that usually the attacker wants as many open lines as possible. 

 

                        [ Also good was:  RR 24.Nf1!?,  '±'  with a solid advantage for White. ]   

 

     24...Nxd425.b4, ('!') 

White takes advantage of the pin down the d-file, the BN (on d4) cannot take the WQ, as it is pinned to the Black King.  
(This is an example of an absolute pin.)    

 

gotm_mar15-pos15.jpg, 121 KB

   2q1r2r/3k1p2/p3bP2/1pp2B1p/1P1n1BpP/8/1PQ2PPN/3R2K1 b - - 0 25   

 

Of course, if now the Pawn on c5 takes the WP on b4, then RxN/d4+ is the reply.   

A critical position has now been reached, and although Black is in a bind, he may have still saved himself with an accurate defense.    

 

                         [ RR 25.Qe4 Rd8; '~' ]  

 

     25...Qc6?;  (Losing.)   

And Black - having been subjected for many moves of intense pressure, finally commits the decisive error.   

 

                          [  >/=   ...Kd8T; was forced, for example:   
                            25...Kd8[]26.bxc5, '±'  (With a big plus for White.)   
                             but White still has a very powerful attack. ]  

 

The next few moves all appear to be forced here - for both sides. 

     26.bxc5 Qd527.Qe4 Qxe4 28.Bxe4 Bd5[];  (Best.)   

This "give-away" looking move was pretty much forced, if Black had played his Rook to d8, then RxN/d4+ was just winning for White.    

 

gotm_mar15-pos16.jpg, 117 KB

   4r2r/3k1p2/p4P2/1pPb3p/3nBBpP/8/1P3PPN/3R2K1 w - - 0 29   

 

This is an important position ... and White may now have missed the best continuation.  

     29.Rxd4!?(An error?)   

This is probably good enough for White to win, but "Nepo" had a much better move.   

 

                         [ Much better was:   >/=  29.Bxd5! Ne2+30.Kh1 Nxf431.Bxf7+ Kc6;     
                           32.Bxe8+ Rxe833.f3 g3[];  (forced)  34.Nf1 Rf835.Rd6+ Kxc536.Rxa6,  +-  
                           with an easily won game for White. (In some of the lines that I looked at, White   
                           won ALL of Black's Pawns in this wild endgame!!) ]   

 

The next few moves all look to be good for both sides, although 32.Nf1 might be a small improvement over the course of the actual game. 

     29...Rxe430.Rxd5+ Kc631.Rf5 Rhe832.g3!?(luft)    

White gives himself a good escape square, although playing the WN to f1 was probably just a little better.    

 

                         [ An improvement was:  >/=  32.Nf1! Rc433.Be3, +-   with a won game for White. ]    

 

Now Black had to play 32...Rh8[]; missing this, the second player simply is blown away.   

     32...Rb4!?; ('?')  33.Rxh5 Rxb2 34.Nxg4 b4!?35.Ne5+ Kb5!? 36.Nxf7'+-'   Black Resigns.   

(White has the decisive threat of Nd6+, forking the Black King and the Black Rook. Additionally, the White KBP is a monster and a "fast" passer ...   
 there was no real reason for Black to play on.) 


Black gives up this one, there really was not much reason to play on from this point.    

 

gotm_mar15-pos17.jpg, 112 KB

   4r3/5N2/p4P2/1kP4R/1p3B1P/6P1/1r3P2/6K1 b - - 0 36   

 

The really outstanding thing about this game was the depth of White's concept, the exchange sacrifice was VERY deep and almost impossible to calculate over the board!    

 

                         [ I could give MANY lines here showing how easy it would be for the first player to win, 
                            the following variation is - I think - maybe the most natural; (the one a human might actually
                            try to play): 
36.Nxf7 Re1+!?37.Kg2 Re638.Nd6+ Kc6;  39.f7 Rf6[];  {Forced.}   
                            (The only move to try and stop White's Pawn.) 
                           
40.Rf5,  '+-' (& White is winning.)    

                            Black cannot stop the White KBP from reaching the last rank ...    
                            and even if Black sacks his Rook for the KBP and tries to run his own Pawns, then White's    
                            KRP is still faster than any of Black's Pawns.
]    

 

This is an extremely interesting game, and one that was highly praised by pundits on the net. However, if Black had found the correct continuation on his 19th turn, he probably would have refuted White's entire concept and made the whole idea with Ra4-f4-f6!? look wantonly reckless and overly risky. 

 

     Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2015.  All rights reserved.     

 

      1 - 0       



   Supplemental / additional study games   

(The games given - just below - were mentioned during the analysis of the main GM game. Since I could not find any other place on the 'net where these games were available, I offer them here for the sake of being complete.)  

Yuri N. Sakharov - Semen Abramovich Furman; [C43] / URS-ch sf Kiev (R#13), 1957.   

1.e4 e5; 2.Nf3 Nf6; 3.d4 exd4; 4.e5 Ne4; 5.Qxd4 d5; 6.exd6 Nxd6; 7.Nc3 Nc6; 8.Qf4 g6; 9.Bd2 Bg7; 10.0-0-0 0-0; 11.h4 h6; 12.Bd3 Be6; 13.Rhe1 a5; 14.a3 Rb8; 15.Ne4 Bf5;  16.Bc3 Bxe4; 17.Bxg7 Kxg7; 18.Bxe4 Na7; 19.Ne5 Nac8; 20.Re3 Nb6; 21.c4 Qf6; 22.Qxf6+ Kxf6; 23.c5 Ndc4; 24.Ng4+ Kg7; 25.cxb6 Nxe3; 26.Nxe3 cxb6; 27.Rd7 Rfd8; 28.Rxd8 Rxd8; 29.Bxb7 f5; 30.Bf3 Rd4; 31.h5 b5; 32.hxg6 Kxg6; 33.Kc2 b4; 34.a4 f4; 35.Ng4 Rc4+; 36.Kd3 Rc1; 37.Ne5+ Kf5; 38.Nc4 b3; 39.Nxa5 Rc2; 40.Nxb3 Rxb2; 41.Nd4+ Ke5;  42.Ne2 Ra2; 43.Nc3 Rxf2; 44.a5 Rf1; 45.Nd1, 1-0 

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

Adam Tukhaev (2517) - Oleg V. Ivanov (2461); [C43] / UKR-ch Alushta (R#6), 16.05.2009.   

1.e4 e5; 2.Nf3 Nf6; 3.d4 Nxe4; 4.dxe5 Bc5; 5.Qd5 Bxf2+; 6.Ke2 f5; 7.Nc3 c6; 8.Nxe4 cxd5; 9.Nd6+ Kf8; 10.Kxf2 Nc6; 11.Be3 h6; 12.h4 b6; 13.h5 Qc7; 14.Bd3 Nxe5; 15.Nxe5 Qxd6; 16.Ng6+ Kg8; 17.Bd4 Qb4; 18.Rh4 Qd2+; 19.Kf1 Kh7; 20.Rf4 d6; 21.Bc3 Qe3; 22.Re1 Qg3; 23.Rf3 Qg5; 24.Nxh8 d4; 25.Bxd4 Kxh8; 26.Re8+ Kh7; 27.Bc3 Qxh5; 28.Rxc8 Rxc8; 29.Bxf5+ g6; 30.Bxc8 Qb5+; 31.Rd3 Qc4; 32.Bb7 Qxa2; 33.Bf3 Qb1+; 34.Rd1 Qxc2; 35.Rxd6 Qf5; 36.Ke1 h5; 37.Rd8 Kh6; 38.Re8 Qd7; 39.Re5 Qd6; 40.Be4 a5; 41.Ke2 a4; 42.Rd5 Qe7; 43.Be5 Qb4; 44.Kf3 a3; 45.bxa3 Qxa3+; 46.Rd3 Qa6; 47.Bf4+ Kg7; 48.Rd7+ Kf6; 49.Rd6+ Ke7; 50.Rd1 Qa3+; 51.Be3 Qc3; 52.Rb1 Qf6+; 53.Ke2 Qe6; 54.Rb4 Qg4+; 55.Kd2 b5; 56.Rd4 h4; 57.Bf3 Qg3; 58.Re4+ Kf7; 59.Rf4+ Ke8; 60.Re4+ Kf7; 61.Rg4 Qd6+; 62.Ke2 h3; 63.gxh3 b4; 64.Be4 Qh2+; 65.Rg2 Qxh3; 66.Bxg6+ Ke6; 67.Be4 b3; 68.Kd3 Qh5; 69.Rg6+ Kf7; 70.Rb6 Qd1+; 71.Kc3 Qe1+; 72.Kd4 Qa1+; 73.Kc4 b2; 74.Bc2 Qc1; 75.Kd3 Qf1+; 76.Kc3 Qe1+; 77.Kd3 Qf1+; 78.Kc3 Qe1+; 79.Kd3,  ½-½  


The analysis for this page was prepared with the excellent programChessBase 10.0. (My main engines are Fritz 13, Deep Fritz 14, and I also use Houdini 3.0 and Rybka.)  

  The HTML was polished with several different tools and programs, (mostly FP)  ...  the text was checked for spelling with MS Word.  

  Please note!:  Due to the fact that I upgraded to <<Windows 7>> ... I no longer have the use of the program, "Chess Captor."  


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 *** 

  This page was first posted on/in:  (late) February, 2015.     Final format completed on:  Saturday; September 5th, 2015.     This page was last updated/modified on Thursday, September 10, 2015 02:13 PM .   
   The diagrams - for the main chess game - were added on:  Wednesday; 09 September, 2015.  .  


    COPYRIGHT (c) A.J. Goldsby I;    

    Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby; 1985 - 2014, & 2015.  All rights reserved.    


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