Chess (August): Wang Hao sqeeks by Magnus to win Biel

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Giri - Van Kempen, Round 6

Eighteen-year-old Anish Giri began 2012 with a come=from-behind victory at the international tournamenty in Reggio Emilia, and then suffered a string of bad outings. With his victory in the general group in Dutch national championship and his thrid-place finish in the grandmaster tournament at Biel, that rough spot seems to be behind him.

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[center]Anish Giri[/center]
[font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) from Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anish_Giri)
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)
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Anish Giri - Robin Van Kampen
Dutch National Championships, General Goup, Round 6
Amsterdam, 20 July 2012

Open Queen Gambit: Catalan Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 c5

• For moves and variations up to here, see Anand-Topalov, World Ch M, Sofia, 2010.

7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Na3 (N)

• If [font color="red"]8.Qa4+ Bd7 9.Qxc4 Qb6 10.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...Bb5 11.Qc2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...Nbd7 12.Nc3 Rc8 13.Qb3 Ba6 14.Qxb6 Nxb6[/font] is equal (Afshari-S. Grover, Op, Dubai, 2010).
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Ng4!? 12.Be1![/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]12...Nd7?! 13.Nc3 0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14.h3!? Ngf6 15.Nxb5 Qxb5 16.a4[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Agaragimov-Goumas, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2012).
• [font color="darkorange"]14.Nxb5 Qxb5 15.Rd1 Rac8 16.Bc3 Rfd8 17.Nd4[/font] gives White a better center and slightly more space.
• [font color="magenta"]12...0-0 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Nxb5 Qxb5 15.a4 Qb6 16.Qc4[/font] gives White a fair advantage with the initiative and more space.
• [font color="darkorchid"]10...0-0 11.Nc3 Rc8 12.Qb3 Qxb3 13.axb3 Nc6 14.Bg5[/font] wil gives White an easier time maneuvering, but otherwise the psition is equal (I. Schneider-Werle, Bundesliga 0910, Tegel, 2010).
• If [font color="blue"]8.0-0 0-0 9.Qc2[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]9...Nbd7 10.Qxc4 b5 11.Qxb5 Rb8 12.Qc4[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]12...Rxb2 13.Bc3 Qc7 14.Qd3 Rb8 15.Nbd2 Bb7[/font] is equal (Cheng-Mikhalevski, Canadian Op, Toronto, 2011).
• If [font color="dodgerblue"]12...Bb7 13.Qc1 Qb6 14.Nc3 Rfc8 15.Qe1 Qxb2[/font] is equal (Hammer-Gharamian, Rpd IT, Cap d'Agde, 2010).
• If [font color="darkblue"]9...Nc6 10.Qxc4 Be7 11.Rd1 e5 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Qa4[/font] is equal (Aronian-Adams, European Club Cup, Plovdiv, 2010).

8...Ne4

• White has a slight advantage in space.

9.0-0 Nxd2!?

• This is an example of when "to take is a mistake;" White recaptures with his long diagonal open to his nested Bishop.
• If [font color="red"]9...c3 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Qxe4 cxb2! 12.Rab1 Bxa3 13.Rfd1[/font] continues to give White a slight advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Robin Van Kampen[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Anish Giri[/center][center]Position after 9...Ne4d2:B[/center]

10.Nxd2!

• White has a small advantage.
• [font color="red"]10.Qxd2 Qxd2 11.Nxd2 Bxa3 12.bxa3 c3 13.Rac1[/font] is also good, but at this stage of the game there is more potential for dynamic play with the Queens on board.

10...c3

• Even a pawn can be a desperado. White must return the extra pawn, but instead of waiting for White to take it, he uses it to weaken White's kingside.

11.Ne4

• Also playable is [font color="red"]11.bxc3 0-0 12.Nac4 Qc7 13.Qb3 Be7 14.Rfd1[/font] when both sides preseve Queens. White's queenside pawn structure will be disfigured in any case.

11...Qxd1

• Black must decide what to do with his hanging Bishop.
• If [font color="red"]11...Be7 12.Qxd8+[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]12...Kxd8 13.Rfd1+[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]13...Nd7 14.Nxc3 Bxa3 15.bxa3 Ke7 16.Rac1[/font] leaves White completely developed and readiy to attack Black's unprepared position.
• [font color="magenta"]13...Kc7 14.Nb5+ Kb6 15.Nexc3 Nc6 16.Rac1[/font] looks like the makings of a catastrophe.
• [font color="darkred"]12...Bxd8?? 13.Nd6+ Kd7 14.Rfd1 Bf6 15.Nxf7+[/font] wins a Rook.
• If [font color="blue"]11...Bxa3? 12.Qa4+! Nc6 13.Qxa3[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]13...Qe7 14.Nd6+ Kf8 15.Rad1[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]15...c2 16.Rd2 Bd7 17.Qc3 Rb8 18.Qxc2 e5 19.Qc5[/font] White wins material.
• [font color="dodgerblue"]15...e5[/font] then White wins after [font color="dodgerblue"]16.Qc5 Bg4 17.bxc3 g6 18.h3 Bf5 19.Nxb7.[/font]
• Even worse is [font color="darkblue"]13...Qc7[/font] when White wins after [font color="darkblue"]14.Nd6+ Kf8 15.Nxc8+.[/font]

12.Raxd1 Bxa3 13.bxa3 Ke7

• This appears to be Black best move.
• If [font color="red"]13...0-0 14.Nxc3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Nc6 15.f4 e5 16.Bxc6 bxc6 17.fxe5 Re8 18.Rd6[/font] gives White a small advantage; until the Black Bishop moves off the back rank, the foremost e-pawn is safe.
• [font color="darkred"]14...e5!? 15.Rb1! Nc6 16.Rfd1 a6 17.Bxc6 bxc6 18.Rb6[/font] gives White a comfortable game.
• If [font color="blue"]13...c2!? 14.Rc1! Ke7 15.Nc5 a6 16.Rxc2 Nc6 17.Rb2[/font] gives White a fair advantage; his pieces are ganged up against the vulnerable b7 point give Black problems with his freedom.

14.Nxc3 Nc6 15.Rb1

• This gives Black problems with mobility. His pieces are bound to the b-pawn.

15...Rd8 16.Rfc1 Rd2!?

• Black acts agressively, too much so for his own good. The Rook cannot navigate the seventh rank.
• [font color="red"]16...a6 17.f4 Rd4 18.Kf2 Rc4 19.Be4 f5 20.Bg2[/font] continues to give White a small advantage. Black has just about caught up with White's development, but the need to defend the b-pawn is slowing him down a bit.

[center]BLACK: Robin Van Kampen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Anish Giri[/center][center]Position after 16...Rd8d2[/center]

17.Kf1!

• White brings the King over to defend the e-pawn, freeing the Knight for more active tasks.

17...Nd8 18.Ke1 Rd7 19.Nb5 a6?!

• This won't keep the Knight out of c7.
• If [font color="red"]19...Nc6 20.Rb3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]20...a6 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Bxc6 Bb7 23.Bxd7 Kxd7 24.Nc3[/font] gives White the initiative and a crippled extra pawn.
• [font color="darkred"]20...f5 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Bxc6 Bb7 23.Bxd7 Kxd7 24.Rd3+[/font] gives White the initiative and a weak extra pawn.

[center]BLACK: Robin Van Kampen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Anish Giri[/center][center]Position after 19...a7a6[/center]

20.Nc7! Rb8 21.Rb6

• White wins a pawn after [font color="red"]21.Nxa6! Ra8 22.Nb4 Rd6 23.Nd3 Nc6 24.Rc3.[/font]

21...Rd6 22.Rxd6

• Better is [font color="red"]22.Nxa6 Ra8 23.Nc7 Ra5 24.Rxd6 Kxd6 25.Ne8+,[/font] winning a pawn.

22...Kxd6 23.Ne8+ Ke7 24.Nxg7 Bd7 25.Nh5 e5

• [font color="red"]25...Bc6 26.Bxc6 Nxc6 27.f3 Rg8 28.Nf4 Kd6 29.Rd1+[/font] is still a comfortable game for White.

26.f4 f6 27.fxe5 fxe5 28.Rc5!?

• More aggresive is 28.Rc7.
• [font color="red"]28.Rc7 Kd6 29.Rc3 Ke7 30.Bf3 Nc6 31.Re3[/font] continues to give White a comfortable advantage.

28...Nf7?!

• Black could improve his chances greatly by playing on the queenside. That is still where the action is.
• If [font color="red"]28...Bc6! 29.Bf3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]29...Bxf3 30.exf3 Nc6 31.Rc3 Ke6 32.g4[/font] gives White only a fair advantage.
• [font color="darkred"]29...Kd6 30.Rc3 Ne6 31.Bxc6 bxc6 32.Rb3[/font] continues to give White a comfortable game regardless of whether Black exchanges or preserves Rooks.

[center]BLACK: Robin Van Kampen[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Anish Giri[/center][center]Position after 28...Nd8f7[/center]

29.Rc7!

• Now White's position is better than ever. Black cannot move his Rook, cannot move his Rook and has no good square for the Knight.

29...Nd8?

• White brings his Knight to d8 in an attempt to protect his pawn, but only attracts an attack on the Bishop.
• If [font color="red"]29...Kd8 30.Rxb7 Rxb7 31.Bxb7 Ke7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]32.Be4 Bg4 33.Bf3 Be6 34.g4[/font] continues to gives White two extra pawn and more mobility, but it's still quite a ways home.
• [font color="darkred"]32.Bxa6!? Bg4! 33.Ng7 Kf8 34.h3 Bxh3 35.Nh5[/font] leaves Black up by two pawns, but every pawn on the board is weak and White's Bishop is offsided.

30.Nf6! 1-0

• White must now win material.
• [font color="red"]30...Kxf6 31.Rxd7 h5 32.Rd6+ Kg7 33.Bf3[/font] soon leaves White two pawns to the good with active pieces. With an active Rook, snapping up pawns will be no problem.
• Mh. Van Kampen resigns.