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

[Jack Rabbit]

23. Ding Yixin - Baira Kovanova, Women's Group/Standard Time Control, Round 1

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Ding Yixin - Baira Kovanova
Team Match, Standard Time Control/Women's Group, Round 1
St. Petersburg, 2 July 2012

Italian Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Prussian Opening) (Two Knights' Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3?!

• This move is unusual and, quite frankly, not a good one. White has no need to block the advance of the d-pawn here.
• The usual move is 8.Be2. See Grigorian-Iordacescu, Op, Dubai, 2012.

8...Bd6

• If [font color="red"]8...Nd5 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]10...0-0 11.Re1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...Re8 12.Nc3 f5[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Nxd5 13...cxd5 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.Bxd7 Qxd7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.d3 Nc6 17.c4 Kh8 18.cxd5 Nb4 19.a3[/font] gives White an extra pawn (Brandenburg-Lommers, Op, Dieren, 2011).
• [font color="burgundy"]16.d4 e4 17.Ne5 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Rxe5 19.Bf4 Re6[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Brandenburg-Nijboer, Dutch Ch, Boxtel, 2011).
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Bf1 e4 14.Nd4 Nf6[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]15.g3!? Bc5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Ng4[/font] gives Black a small advantage (Gopal-Thipsay, Inaian Ch, New Delhi, 2010).
• [font color="magenta"]15.h3 Bc7 16.Nde2 Qd6 17.g3 Ba6 18.d4[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Bg4 12.h3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12...Bxf3 13.Qxf3 f5 14.Bxf5 Bc5 15.Rf1 Qe7 16.Nc3[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Negi-J. Cori Tello, World Jr Ch, Chotowa, Poland, 2011).
• [font color="magenta"]12...Bh5 13.Bf5 Qf6 14.Bg4 Bxg4 15.hxg4 Qg6 16.Nh4[/font] gives White a strong initiative (Navara-Beliavsky, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If [font color="darkred"]10...Nf4 11.Re1 Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]13.Nxe5 Re8 14.d4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]14...f6 15.Nf3 Bg4 16.Rf1 Re4 17.h3 Bh5[/font] is equal (McShane-Gupta, Op, Reykjavik, 2011).
• [font color="darkorange"]14...c5 15.d3 cxd4 16.Nf3 Rxe1+ 17.Qxe1 Bf5[/font] is equal (Negi-Sargissian, Politiken Cup, Helsignør, 2009).
• [font color="magenta"]13.Nc3 Re8 14.h3 c5 15.b3 Ba6 16.Ba3 Bxd3[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space (Short-Kasparov, Blitz Match, Leuven, 2011).
• If [font color="blue"]8...h6 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.0-0[/font] then:
• If [font color="blue"]10...g6 11.Re1 f5 12.Ng3 Bg7[/font] then:
• [font color="blue"]13.Bf1 0-0 14.c4 Nb6 15.b4 Naxc4 16.Qb3 Be6[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space (Shcherbakov-Khismatullin, Moscow Op, 2010).
• [font color="darkcyan"]13.c4 Nf4 14.Bf1 0-0 15.d4 Qc7 16.dxe5 Bxe5 17.Nc3[/font] gives White an extra pawn (Blaskowski-Michalczak, Bundesliga West, 0001, Germany, 2000).
• If [font color="darkblue"]10...Be7 11.Ng3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkblue"]11...g6 12.Re1 Qc7 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2 Bd6 15.c4[/font] gives White more freedom and the initiative (Stellwagen-de Jong, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 2008).
• [font color="dodgerblue"]11...0-0 12.Bf5 c5 13.Nc3 Nf4 14.d3 Nc6 15.Bxc8[/font] gives Black a comfortable advantage in space (S. Nilsson-Kazdagli, Euro Club Cup, Rogaska Slatina, 2011).

9.Nc3 0-0 10.b3 (N)

• If [font color="red"]10.0-0 Rb8[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11.Re1 Qc7 12.a3 h6 13.Nge4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4[/font] gives White two extra pawns and stronger pawns (Pötsch-Robert, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2011).
• If [font color="darkred"]11.a3 Bc7[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12.h3?! Nb3 13.Rb1 Nc5 14.Bc4 h6[/font] [gives Black a slight edge; White should trade two minor pieces for a Rook and Black's f-pawn i](Godena-Todorovic, Wuro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• [font color="magenta"]12.Nf3 h6 13.Re1 Re8 14.b4 Nb3 15.Rb1[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space.

10...Bg4?!

• The attack on the Queen is easily rebuffed.
• [font color="red"]10...h6 11.Nge4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Bc7 13.0-0 f5 14.Nc3[/font] is equal (Fritz).

11.f3!

• White has a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="red"]11.Be2 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 e4 13.0-0 Re8 14.d3[/font] gives Black a fair advantage in space.

11...Bh5 12.Bb2 Nd5?

• Black is not so short of space that this exchange is necessary. Overprotecting the e-pawn is better.
• If [font color="red"]12...Re8[/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]13.Nge4 Nxe4 14.Nxe4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]14...Bf8 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Bxg6 hxg6 17.Qe2 Nb7 18.0-0-0[/font] gives White an extra pawn and stronger pawns.
• [font color="magenta"]14...f5 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.0-0 e4 17.Be2 Qc5+ 18.Kh1[/font] gives White an extra pawn and stronger pawns.
• [font color="darkred"]13.0-0!? Bc5+! 14.Kh1 Bd4 15.Qe1 Nb7 16.g4[/font] gives White a fair advantage in space.

[center]BLACK: Baira Kovanova[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 12...Nf6d5[/center]

13.Bxh7+! Kh8 14.h4 f5

• If [font color="red"]14...Qe7 15.Be4 Nf4 16.g3 Ne6 17.g4 Nd4[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]18.Ne2 Bg6 19.Nxd4 exd4 20.Bxd4 Bxe4 21.Nxe4.[/font]
• If [font color="darkred"]17...Bg6[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]18.Bxg6 fxg6 19.Nxe6 Qxe6 20.Qe2 Be7 21.0-0-0.[/font]

15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Qe2 Rc8

• If [font color="red"]16...Qc7?[/font] then Black is toast after [font color="red"]17.g4 Qxc2 18.Bc3 Nc6 19.0-0.[/font]

17.Ne6?

• White moves the Knight from a strong outpost where it covered the Bishop.
• If [font color="red"]17.0-0-0 Qc7[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18.c3 e4 19.g4 exf3 20.Qxf3 Bxg4 21.Qxd5[/font] gives White two extra pawns and more freedom.
• If [font color="darkred"]18.d3 Nc6 19.c4 Nd4[/font] then:
• If [font color="darkred"]20.Bxd4 exd4 21.g4 fxg4 22.fxg4[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22...Rce8 23.Qg2 Bf7 24.Qc2 a5 25.Rdf1 dxc4 26.dxc4[/font] leaves White with two extra pawns.
• If [font color="darkorange"]22...Rfe8[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkorange"]23.Qg2 Bf7 24.Qc2 Re3 25.Kb1 Rf8 26.Rhf1.[/font]
• [font color="magenta"]20.Qe1?! Qb6! 21.Bxd4 exd4 22.Qe2 Bf4+ 23.Kb1[/font] leaves White with a comfortable game, but Black now has practical chances to hold.

[center]BLACK: Baira Kovanova[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 17.Ng5e6[/center]

17...Qd7!

• The game is equal; Black now can do something more than just wait for the coup de gras. Black must lose the exchange, but has good prospect of picking up the Bishop at h7.

18.Nxf8 Rxf8 19.Bc3

• [font color="red"]19.Bxf5 Qxf5 20.Qa6 Bxf3 21.gxf3 Qxf3 22.Rf1 Qg3+[/font] is equal.

19...Nc6

• Black conserves matter. The game is equal.
• [font color="red"]19...Kxh7?! 20.Bxa5 Re8 21.0-0-0 e4 22.Qf2 d4 23.c3[/font] gives White two extra pawns, but Black has a moble pawn center and more space.

20.Bxf5!

• The Bishop had become a desperado, making this sacrifice absolutely necessary.

20...Qxf5?!

• If Black recaptures with the Rook, White's reply would not be as effective.
• [font color="red"]20...Rxf5! 21.g4 e4 22.gxh5 exf3 23.Qf2 d4 24.Bb2[/font] remains equal.

21.g4!

• The pawn fork assures White of recovering the Bishop sacrificed on the previous move.

21...Qxc2?

• The pawn is unimportant and the Queen is now badly placed.
• [font color="red"]21...Bxg4![/font] (this Bishop has also become a desperado and should sell himself as dearly as possible) [font color="red"]22.fxg4 Qxc2[/font] (this works better with the f-file open to the Rook) [font color="red"]23.Rf1 Rxf1+ 24.Kxf1 d4 25.Rd1[/font] gives White a narrow edge.

[center]BLACK: Baira Kovanova[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 21...Qf5c2:p[/center]

22.gxh5!

• Of course. White has two extra pawns and Black's pawn center is less imposing than when it was a phalanx of three pawns.

22...d4 23.Qe4!

• White finds the only move to maintain her advantage.
• If [font color="red"]23.Qd1? Qf5! 24.Qe2 dxc3 25.dxc3 Bb4 26.0-0-0 Bxc3[/font] gives Black more active pieces. White is in serious trouble.

23...Qxe4+ 24.fxe4 dxc3 25.dxc3

• White has a Rook and three pawns for two minor pieces.

25...Rf4

• No better is [font color="red"]25...Be7 26.0-0-0 Rf2 27.Rd2 Rf4 28.Rd7.[/font]

26.0-0-0 Ba3+

• If [font color="red"]26...Bf8 27.Rhf1[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]27...Be7 28.b4 Rxe4 29.Rd7 Rxh4 30.b5 Bg5+ 31.Kd1[/font] gives White an extra pawn, a passed pawn and a Rook on the seventh; Black's only trump is her own passer.
• If [font color="darkred"]27...Ba3+? 28.Kb1[/font] then:
• [font color="dark red"]28...Rxe4 29.Rd7! Re3 30.Kc2 Re2+ 31.Kd3 Rh2 32.b4[/font] leaves White with a Rook marauding the seventh rank.
• If [font color="magenta"]28...Rxh4[/font] then White wins after [font color="magenta"]29.Rf7 Be7 30.Rd7 Rxh5 31.b4.[/font]

27.Kc2 a5 28.Kd3 Be7 29.Kc4

• White has a quicker win after [font color="red"]29.Rdf1[/font] when:
• [font color="red"]29...Rg4 30.Rhg1 Rxh4 31.Rh1 Rg4 32.Rfg1 Rf4 33.Rg6[/font] gives White a strong initiative.
• If [font color="darkred"]29...Rxf1[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]30.Rxf1 Bxh4 31.Kc4 Kh7 32.Kd5.[/font]

29...Nd8 30.Kb5 Rxe4

[center]BLACK: Baira Kovanova[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Ding Yixin[/center][center]Position after 30...Rf4e4:p[/center]

31.Kxa5

• White's three connected passers will triumph.

31...Re2 32.a4 Nb7+ 33.Kb5 Nc5 34.Rhe1 Rxe1 35.Rxe1 Nxb3 36.a5 1-0

• Black must lose a piece to stop the pawn.
• Baira Sergeyevna resigns.