GOTM; October 2011.   

This will be my "Game of The Month" for October, 2011. [I also wanted to point out that I did not pick this game for annotation, users <Patriot> and <Morfishine> (from the CG website) chose this sterling GM clash.] 

My impressions of this game: White opens simply, it looks like a fianchetto line of the Grunfeld. White plays clean (but forceful) developing moves - and gains a nice edge out of the opening; although it does not appear to be anything close to overwhelming for GM M. Rodshtein. After a few small skirmishes, White decides to sack material. Then its furious play, Black is busy collecting all the spare wood that he can find laying around, while White is drawing the noose ever tighter around the hapless Black King. Suddenly, Z. Jianchao ... who might have 
thought that he was escaping ... is now caught in an iron mating net, a snare from which there is no real escape. 

This is also a fairly clean game, it was not decided by a simple error ... for me, its just a clear case of each player pursuing their respective plans. In this example, White's plan simply proves to be superior to Black's overall strategy. 

   1.d4 Nf6;  2.c4 g6;  3.Nf3,  (The Four Opening Principles. [more] ) 

White avoids the 'normal' Nc3 in favor of an opening plan that is much different than the average Grunfeld Defense. 

  rnbqkb1r/pppppp1p/5np1/8/2PP4/5N2/PP2PPPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3  

Now it appears that we might be heading for a Classical line of the King's Indian Defense. 

     [ A system - that is perhaps similar to what occurs in this game - would be the following continuation: 
       3.Nc3 d5; 4.cxd5 Nxd5; 5.g3, (center / light squares)   

       The fianchetto line, Rowson's book (on the Grunfeld Defense) covers this system in some detail. 

              ( The time-honored "Exchange Variation" could be reached by the following move order:    
                 5.e4 Nxc3;  6.bxc3 Bg7;  7.Bc4 0-0; 8.Ne2 c5;  9.0-0 Nc6; 10.Be3 cxd4;  11.cxd4 Bg4;   
                 12.f3 Na5;  13.Bd3, "+/="  13...Be6; (center / space)   
                  when all the engines show that White has a very clear advantage. 

                [ For more information, please see the reliable reference work: 
                  MCO-15, page # 634; all columns and notes. Especially see column # 03. ]   

                  One of the most impressive examples of this variation would have to be:   
                  GM Veselin Topalov (2780) - GM Alexei Shirov (2755);  [D89]    
                  ICT, 25th Super GM Morelia/Linares; (R#11) / 03,03,2008.   
                  {Topalov won a smashing victory, 1-0 in 34 total moves.} )  

       5...Bg7;  6.Bg2 Nb6;  7.Bf4 0-0;  8.Nf3, "~"  (unclear) 
       White might be a tiny bit better here, but most engines see this position as about equal.   

       GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2763) - GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2720);  [D76]   
       The Fifth (5th) Blitz World Champ. (Round. # 07) Moscow, RUS; 16,11,2010.   
        {White won a nice game, 1-0 in 39 moves.}  

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

       Another interesting system ...  that is a close relative to the one employed in this game ...   
       would be the following variation:   

       3.g3!? Bg7;  4.Bg2 d5!?;  5.cxd5 Nxd5;  6.e4!, "+/="  with a small edge for White. 
        (More space, a better center; and a central Pawn majority.)   

       See Chapter One, page # 07 of the book: "(The) Fianchetto Grunfeld," 
       by GM's Adrian Mikhalchishin and Alexander Belyavsky. 

       Maybe the best example in the games database that I could find was the contest:   
       GM Garry Kasparov (2812) - GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov (2595);  [D72]   
       ICT, CORUS / Hoogovens Masters; Wijk aan Zee, NED; (R#8), 25,01,1999. 
       {Garry won a near-perfect game, 1-0 in only 36 total moves.} ]   

   3...Bg7;  4.g3,   (fianchetto)  

This is not a big deal, in the 1940's and the 1950's, GM's used the fianchetto approach against the KID on a fairly routine basis. 

   rnbqk2r/ppppppbp/5np1/8/2PP4/5NP1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4   

In the last 20-30 years, the fianchetto lines have not been as dominant as they once were. Other systems - such as the Averbakh, The Bayonet and the Samisch - have been tried by the top GM players of different chess era's. 

     [ Instead, after the continuation of: 
       4.Nc3 0-0;  5.e4 d6;  6.Be2 e5;  7.0-0 Nc6;  8.d5 Ne7;  "<=>"  (counterplay) 
       we have reached one of Bobby Fischer's favorite opening tabiya's. 
       (The "Mar del Plata" Variation of The King's Indian Defense, see any 
         good reference work for more details here.) 

       [ Please (also) see MCO-15, beginning on page # 593, and all columns & notes. ]   

       A good - and current - example of this line being used at the highest level would have to be: 
       GM Vladimir Kramnik (2791) - GM Anish Giri (2722);  [E97]  
       ICT, 15th Unive Crown / Hoogovens (R#1), NED / 16,10,2011.   
       {Kramnik won a stellar smash, 1-0 in just 35 total moves.} ]   

   4...0-0;  5.Bg2 d5!?;  (An attempt to change the Pawn structure?!?)  

Black is obviously not content with playing the Black side of the systems in the KID where the first player has fianchettoed his KB, so he changes the Pawn structure ... perhaps hoping to get freer play.  

  rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/3p4/2PP4/5NP1/PP2PPBP/RNBQK2R w KQ d6 0 6  

Now its more like a Grunfeld Opening. 

       [ Now one of the main lines of the "King's Indian Defense" would be: 
         5...d6;  6.0-0 Nbd7;  7.Nc3 e5;  8.e4, "+/="  8...c6;  when Black often has good play. 

       [ Please see MCO-15, page # 620; all columns and notes. The most important and   
        relevant would be column # 61, and all of the notes that pertain to this particular line. ]  

       One of the more interesting, decisive (and relatively current) examples of this system would have to be:  
       GM David Navara (2719) - GM Vasilios Kotronias (2601); [E68] 
       The 35th National Champ. (GRE-chT) Ermioni, Greece; (R#6) / 07, 07, 2006. 
       {White won a long, tough fight here; 1-0 in 73 total moves.}  [replay]  ]   

   6.cxd5 Nxd5;  7.0-0 Nc6;  8.Nc3 Bf5;  (play / activity)   

A nice position, featuring some real - and interesting - imbalances.   

  r2q1rk1/ppp1ppbp/2n3p1/3n1b2/3P4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9  

Black has a nice development of all of his pieces, both players have their King's Bishop on the long diagonal, White has a tad more space and also a Pawn majority in the center of the chess board. 

   9.Nd2!?,  (Retreat?)    

White falls back, its as if he is toying with Black in an attempt to get him to over-react ...  

  r2q1rk1/ppp1ppbp/2n3p1/3n1b2/3P4/2N3P1/PP1NPPBP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 9  

Actually, in hindsight, this move makes a lot of sense. White clears the long diagonal for his LSB and puts pressure on Black's pieces, especially the BN on d5. 

     [ Both Fritz 12 and Houdini prefer the following continuation: 
       >/= 9.Re1! Nxc3;  10.bxc3 Be4;  11.Bf4, "+/="  (with an edge).  
       when the first player is probably solidly better. 

       (Its possible that GM Rodshtein saw this line and did not want to play it,  
        the Black LSB on e4 is annoying.) ]   

   9...Nb6!?;   (Hmmm. Best?!?)   

Black also falls back ... perhaps in an attempt to put pressure on White's QP. 

Many masters have taught for years that a Black Knight on QN3 (b6) was always a poorly placed piece ... 

     [ A very sharp line was: 
       9...Ndb4;  10.d5 Nd4;  11.e4 Bd7;  12.Nc4,  "+/="  
      when White has a small advantage here - if for no other reason -   
      because the first player has more space for his pieces to maneuver. ]  

   10.e4 Bd7;  11.Nb3, "+/="  11... Qc8;   

Black prepares to swap off White's King's Bishop. (The LSB.)   

  r1q2rk1/pppbppbp/1nn3p1/8/3PP3/1NN3P1/PP3PBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 12  

Another key position has been reached. White dominates the center and has more space, however, Black has no real weaknesses, either. 

     [ RR 11...a5!? ]  

Black goes ahead and exchanges off the light-squared Bishops ... 
although (according to the chess engines) this allows White's advantage to increase by a fairly substantial amount. 

   12.Bg5! h6;  13.Be3 Bh3!?;  14.Qe2 Bxg2;  15.Kxg2 Rd8;  16.Rad1!!,  (Intuition, perhaps?)  

The machine does not like White's last move here ... at least, not in the first 15-30 seconds of computing time ... ... ... 
it almost looks like a case of ... "the wrong Rook."  

  r1qr2k1/ppp1ppb1/1nn3pp/8/3PP3/1NN1B1P1/PP2QPKP/3R1R2 b - - 0 16  

I would not be completely honest unless I also told you that White is much better ... 
no matter which Rook he uses to occupy the d1-square here. 

Later in the game, when White's attack has reached its zenith ... White's Rook placement looks nothing less than perfect! 

     [ >/=  16.Rfd1, "+/"  - Fritz 12. (White is clearly better.) 

       >/= 16.d5, "+/"  - Fritz 12 & Houdini 1.5 ]  

   16...a5;  17.d5 Ne5;  18.f4 Nec4;   (Piece activity)   

Black's army looks to be busy, in particular the Black Knights on the Q-side appear (on first impression, anyway) to be dominating all the play. 

  r1qr2k1/1pp1ppb1/1n4pp/p2P4/2n1PP2/1NN1B1P1/PP2Q1KP/3R1R2 w - - 0 19  

This is another crucial position, White now has a key decision to make. 

   19.Bd4!,   (best / controls the dark-squares)  

Some machines like the capture on b6 here, I strongly believe that the GM's move must be best here, as - once Black's DSB is traded off - the second player will have no pieces at all on the right-hand side of the board.  

  r1qr2k1/1pp1ppb1/1n4pp/p2P4/2nBPP2/1NN3P1/PP2Q1KP/3R1R2 b - - 0 19  

Surely Black, a 2600+ GM, will understand that his King will be in jeopardy in there are no elite guard nearby the protect the leader of his forces? 

     [ RR 19.Bxb6!? Nxb6;  20.f5,  "--->"  (with an attack) ]   

   19...e6;   (Restraint / prophylaxis?)   

Black probably felt that this was necessary to slow down the rapid advance of White's center, although it does seem to further (negatively) 
impact the safety of his own King. (The alternatives here are not great for Black, either.) 

     [ RR 19...a4;  20.Bxg7 Kxg7;  21.Nd4, '±'  ("+/")  - Fritz 12. ]  

   20.Bxg7 Kxg7;  21.dxe6 Qxe6T;    (Box/forced.) 

Instead, taking with the Pawn looked to be suicidal for Black.   

   22.Nd4 Qe7;  23.b3 Qb4!?;   

It would be easy to mark this as an error for Black ...   

  r2r4/1pp2pk1/1n4pp/p7/1qnNPP2/1PN3P1/P3Q1KP/3R1R2 w - - 0 24  

Yet - after days of analysis - I can see nothing that is CLEARLY better than 23...Qb4; here. 
(For example, after 23...Na3; 24.f5, White still gets an extremely powerful assault ... and nothing that Black does 
 is really going to change this.) 

     [ White will stand better after the alternative continuation of:   
       RR  23...c5;  24.Nf3, I like this ... 

            (Also good was: 24.Ndb5 Nd6;  25.Nxd6 Rxd6;  26.f5, '±'   
              when White is clearly better. )  

       24...Nd6;  25.g4 f6;  26.e5, '±'  "+/"  (with a large advantage for White.)  
       The strong engine - Fritz 12. ]  

   24.Rd3 Na3T;   (Forced / "box.") 

Black has no choice here.  

     [ </= 24...Nd6?;  25.f5, "+/-"  (attack)  

       </= 24...Rxd4?!; 25.Rxd4 Qxc3;  26.Rd3 Qb2;  27.Qxb2+ Nxb2;  
      28.Rd2 N2c4;  29.bxc4 Nxc4;  30.Rd3, "+/-"  (material) ]  

   25.Qd2,  

This was best.   

  r2r4/1pp2pk1/1n4pp/p7/1q1NPP2/nPNR2P1/P2Q2KP/5R2 b - - 0 25  

Black's nearly naked King makes for a sorry picture here ... 

     [ </= 25.Rfd1? Rxd4;  26.Rxd4 Qxc3; "=/+" (Here - Black is slightly better.) ]  

   25...Rf8!?;   ('?!')   {Defense?}    

Black makes a somewhat tardy attempt to bring more pieces closer to the Black King, is Jianchao's last move an admission that he thinks that his Q-side play is failing?  

  r4r2/1pp2pk1/1n4pp/p7/1q1NPP2/nPNR2P1/P2Q2KP/5R2 w - - 0 26  

This move - according to the chess engines - is not the correct defense, Black had to play his King to h7, or even put his King into the corner. I do want to stress, however, that even with the best defense, White will still have a powerful (and perhaps winning) assault. 

     [ (>/=) RR  25...Kh8; 26.f5 g5; 27.f6, "+/-"  - Fritz 12 & Houdini 1.5  

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

       >/=  25...Kh7; 26.f5 g5; 27.h4! gxh4; 28.Rh1,  "+/-"  ]   

Now - if Black is allowed to play the move that he wants - Zhou Jianchao will play ...f7-f5. This would both gain some space on the King-side AND do a good job of keeping the White pieces at bay ... this explains White's next move. (I give it an exclam more to emphasize how important f4-f5 is as an attacking weapon in these types of positions, than to highlight f5 as a good move. Alekhine would be a good player to study to see repeated - and model - attacks of a Black King after Black had fianchettoed his King's Bishop.) 

   26.f5! c5;   (Chess ... or poker?)    

Black - after some reflection - decides on an active type of counter-attack. This is as good as anything else, surely passive defense holds no real hope for Black ... not in this position!  

  r4r2/1p3pk1/1n4pp/p1p2P2/1q1NP3/nPNR2P1/P2Q2KP/5R2 w - c6 0 27  

Now White has several promising attacking schemes ... which method will the first player choose here? 

     [ Its too late to try to build a fortress around the Black King;   
       viz:  26...g5!?;  27.f6+ Kh7;  28.Nf5 Rg8;  29.h4, "+/-"  (White's advantage is decisive.)  
       and according to several strong chess engines, White has a winning attack. ]  

   27.Ne6+!!,   (Both brilliant & forceful!)    

A shot which Jianchao must have felt deep in his bones ...   

  r4r2/1p3pk1/1n2N1pp/p1p2P2/1q2P3/nPNR2P1/P2Q2KP/5R2 b - - 0 27  

Fritz likes g4 instead here, but I think that Ne6 - the move actually played - is absolutely the best move for White.  

     [ 27.g4! is an interesting alternative:  RR  27.g4! cxd4?;  (Not the best.)   
       I give this move - to clearly illustrate exactly what happens to Black -   
       and to demonstrate what White's threats are.  

            (The best move is: >/= 27...Nd5!, 'T'  and now 28.exd5, "+/-" is still 
             a completely winning attack here for White. )   

       28.f6+ Kh7;  29.Rh3 h5;  30.Rxh5+! gxh5; (choices?)   
       It no longer matters, here White's attack is decisive.   

            ( Or 30...Kg8;  31.Qh6, "+/-" )  

       31.Qg5 Rg8;  32.Qxh5#. ]   

   27...fxe6;  28.f6+ Rxf6T;   ("Box!")    

This is 100% forced. 
(If the Black King goes in the corner, then Qh6+ wins for White. Or if the BK goes to h7, White wins with Rd7+!) 

   29.Rxf6 Kxf6T;  (Forced/box.)  

Once more, Black is forced to capture ... here, if does not take, then Zhou Jianchao is simply losing on the material scale. 

   30.Qxh6!,  (Hmmm.)    

This is a nice move ... and it is also winning in all the pertinent variations ... 
however, it is possible that this is not the best move for White.  

  r7/1p6/1n2pkpQ/p1p5/1q2P3/nPNR2P1/P5KP/8 b - - 0 30  

I give a diagram here ... as White now reels off a very pretty series of moves ... 
I don't think Black can save his game from the current mess that he finds himself embroiled in. 
(Take a look for yourself.)  

     [ The most accurate way to end the game may have been:   
       >/=  30.Qf4+!! Kg7T;  {"Box."}   This was completely forced.  

            (Worse was: </= 30...Ke7?;  31.Qd6+ Kf7;  32.Rf3+ Kg8;  33.Qxe6+ Kh8;   
             34.Qf6+ Kh7;  35.Qe7+ Kg8;  36.Rf6 Kh8;  
             If the BQ goes to d4, then simply RxP/g6+, winning. 
             37.Rf7!,  ("+/-")  and Black will be mated in short order from here.)  

       31.Qe5+ Kh7!?;  (Best - or not?)   
       To play any other move here is for Black to walk headlong into an ugly, blatant check ...   
        (which is something I normally I try to avoid doing!). 

       32.Rf3! Qd4;  33.Rf7+ Kg8;  34.Qxe6 Qg7;  35.Rxb7+ Kh7;  36.Rxg7+ Kxg7;  37.Qxb6, "+/-"   
       and White has a winning material advantage in this final position. ]   

   30...Nc2T;    (Forced!)   

Both Fritz and Houdini (and several other engines besides) agree that this is Black's best move at this point in the struggle ...   

  r7/1p6/1n2pkpQ/p1p5/1q2P3/1PNR2P1/P1n3KP/8 w - - 0 31  

Its amazing how helpless Black is to try and protect his most sensitive and critical piece.   

   31.e5+! Kf5T;   (Box / forced.)   

Once again, this was like the "only move" for Black.   

  r7/1p6/1n2p1pQ/p1p1Pk2/1q6/1PNR2P1/P1n3KP/8 w - - 0 32  

Once more - I provide a diagram ... so that you might be able to truly appreciate the finesse of this contest.   

     [ </=  31...Ke7?;  32.Qg7+ Ke8;  33.Qxg6+ Ke7;  34.Qf6+ Ke8;  
        35.Qxe6+ Kf8; 36.Rf3+ Kg7;  37.Rf7+ Kh8;  38.Qh6+ Kg8;  39.Qg7#. ]  

   32.Qg7!!,   (Amazing!!!!!)   

Maxim Rodshtein is already down a piece, and now he calmly allows a powerful-looking Knight fork (which wins a whole Rook!) as well.  

  r7/1p4Q1/1n2p1p1/p1p1Pk2/1q6/1PNR2P1/P1n3KP/8 b - - 0 32  

Once more, I provide a diagram ... (see just above).  

     [ RR  32.a3!?,  - several engines. ]  

Now both players embark on a short journey (11-ply), where neither side has any real reasonable alternative(s). 
(A rather forced continuation.) 

   32...Ne1+;  33.Kf1 Nxd3;  34.Qf6+ Kg4;  35.Qxg6+ Kf3;  36.Qxd3+ Kg4;  37.Kg2 Kg5;  

Black plays a seemingly "only" move ...  

  r7/1p6/1n2p3/p1p1P1k1/1q6/1PNQ2P1/P5KP/8 w - - 0 38  

According to Fritz and Houdini, maybe >/= 37...Rg8; was a little better than the text move here. 
(Please see my analysis - just below.) 

     [ According to the engines, Black had to play his Rook to g8 here, 
       but this would not have saved his game: 
       >/=   37...Rg8;  38.Qh7 Qxc3;  39.h3+ Kg5;  40.h4+ Kg4;  41.Qxg8+ Kf5;  
       42.Qh7+ Kxe5;  43.Qg7+ Kd6;  44.Qxc3,  "+/-"  and White is winning easily. ]   

   38.Qh7!,  "+/-"   (Mating web.)   

White threatens h4 and then Qg6+, mating in all variations. 

  r7/1p5Q/1n2p3/p1p1P1k1/1q6/1PN3P1/P5KP/8 b - - 0 38  

Black has to give up massive amounts of material to avoid this ugly trap, so rather than carry on the fight, the Chinese GM raises the white flag of surrender. 

An extremely beautiful and artistic game, (by both players!); forceful and elegant play by the young and very talented GM M. Rodshtein!!!!! 

   Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2011. All rights reserved.  

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The analysis for this page was prepared with the excellent program,  ChessBase 10.0. 
(My main engine was/is Fritz 12, although I also checked my analysis with many other engines, most notably Houdini 1.5.)  

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

The diagrams were created with the program,  Chess Captor 2.25.  

  Grunfeld References  

I accessed literally dozens of references ... too many to name here. (Click here for more info.) 

Please also see my web page on the following historic chess game: 
Donald Byrne - Robert J. Fischer; ICT, Rosenwald / New York, 1956. ("The Game of The Century.") 

The above referenced web page contains an extremely detailed look at many of the systems of the whole of the Grunfeld Opening. 

In addition to the above links, here is a list of columns (on this site) where I have covered this opening.  

1. My July 2004 column: I cover The Exchange Variation and the "Prins System." 

2. My  March 2005 column: I cover The Exchange and (again) "The Prins System," which is a sub-system of the Russian System. I also annotate the famous game between Fischer and Spassky from the 1970 Siegen Olympiad. 

3. My October 2011 column:  This is an in-depth look at the "Fianchetto System" of the Grunfeld. (White fianchetto's his LSB, this system is currently very popular, many GM's are currently trying their hand with this line. 

4. My  November 2011 column:  This is a fairly detailed look at the (so-called) "Classical System" of the Grunfeld. (White plays an early B/c1-f4 in the Gruenfeld System.)  

• You should also check this page, there may be other games with this opening system annotated there.