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

[Jack Rabbit]

28. Koneru - Mkrtchian, Round 10

Koneru Humpy won more games than any other player in Jermuk.
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Koneru Humpy
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by Stefan64 (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stefan64) in Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Humpy_Koneru)
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Koneru Humpy - Lilit Mkrtchian
Women's Grand Prix, 5th Leg, Round 10
Jermuk, 27 July 2012

Open Queen's Gambit: Miscellaneous Lines

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Qc2

• This is where the game takes a turn to obscure opening lines. The more expected move is 4.Nf3 and if Black replies 4...Nf6 then 5.Bg5 0-0 6.e3 brings us to a good, old-fashion Orthodox Queen's Gambit.

4...dxc4 5.e3 Nf6 (N)

• Nowadays, it is unusual to see a novel position by the fifth move in a game between a grandmaster and an international master. It is not that unusual for for White to play the Queen's Knight to c3 in an Open Queen's Gambit, but in conjunction with the Queen at c2 it is something entirely new.
• If [font color="red"]5...c5 6.dxc5 Na6 7.Bxc4 Nxc5 8.Nf3 a6 9.0-0[/font] gives White a small advantage in space (Rindlisbacher-Baramidze, Op 1011, Zürich, 2010).

[center]BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Koneru Humpy[/center][center]Position after 5...Ng8f6[/center]

6.Bxc4

• White has a small advantage in space.

6...a6

• [font color="red"]6...c5 7.dxc5 Qa5 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.0-0 Qxc5 10.Qe2[/font] also gives White a small advantage.

7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.e4 b5

• [font color="red"]8...c5 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0 b5 11.Bd3 Qc7[/font] continues to give White a small advantage.

9.Bd3 Bb7 10.0-0 c5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Be4!?

• This move is of minimum risk, perhaps made to get Black out of her comfort zone.
• If [font color="red"]12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Be4 Bxe4 14.Qxe4 c4 15.a4 0-0[/font] continues to give White a small advantage.

[center]BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian[/center]

[center][/center]

[center]WHITE: Koneru Humpy[/center][center]Position after 12...Bd3e4[/center]

12...Nb4!?

• If Black want to extablish an octopus on d3, she should first play 12...c4.
• [font color="red"]12...c4! 13.Bd2 Nb4 14.Qb1 Bxe4 15.Nxe4 Nd3 16.Ne1[/font] is equal.

13.Qe2

• White still has a slight advantage.

13...Bxe4 14.Qxe4 cxd4

• If [font color="red"]14...c4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]15.Qg4! Kf8 16.a4 Rb8 17.axb5 axb5 18.Qe4[/font] gives White a comfortable game.
• [font color="darkred"]15.a4 0-0 16.Qg4 Kh8 17.axb5 axb5 18.Bg5[/font] continues to give White a small advantage in space.

15.Nxd4 Nc5?

• This aggressive move is in fact a bad mistake. Black will not be able to castle.
• If [font color="red"]15...0-0[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]16.Rd1 Qc7! 17.a3 Nd5 18.Nxd5 exd5 19.Qxd5 Nxe5[/font] is equal.
• If [font color="darkred"]16.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]16...Rc8! 17.Rad1 Qc7 18.a3 Nc5 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Qxb4[/font] is equal.
• [font color="magenta"]16...Nc5?! 17.Qg4! Re8 18.Rad1 Nbd3 19.Nc6 Qc7 20.Nxe7+[/font] leaves Black's King scantly defended.

[center]BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Koneru Humpy[/center][center]Position after 15...Nd7c5[/center]

16.Qg4! g6

• While not good, Black would find it easier to abandon the g-pawn.
• If [font color="red"]16...Qc7 17.Qxg7 0-0-0 18.Be3 Ncd3 19.Qxf7 Qd7 20.Nxe6[/font] gives White two extra pawns and a Black King with no pawn protection to target.

17.Bh6! Qb6 18.Ndxb5 Nb7

• [font color="red"]18...Nbd3 19.Nd6+ Bxd6 20.exd6 f5 21.Qd4 e5 22.Qd5[/font] gives an extra pawn.

19.Na3 Qc7 20.Rac1

• White wins after [font color="red"]20.Rad1 Qxe5 21.Nc4 f5 22.Qf3 Qc7 23.Qe2.[/font]

20...Qxe5 21.Qf3 Qb8

• If [font color="red"]21...Ra7 22.Be3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]22...Qb8 23.Rfd1 Nd8 24.Bxa7 Qxa7 25.Nc4 Qc7 26.Ne4[/font] threatens to win the Queen with 27.Ncd6+!.
• If [font color="darkred"]22...Nc5[/font] then White wins after [font color="darkred"]23.Bxc5 Bxc5 24.Ne4 Bd4 25.Nc4 Qh5 26.Qb3.[/font]

22.Nc4 Nd8 23.Na5 Ra7 24.a3 Nd5

• If [font color="red"]24...Qa8[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]25.Qg4 Nbc6 26.Qa4 Rd7 27.Rfd1 f5 28.Rxd7.[/font]

25.Nxd5 exd5

[center]BLACK: Lilit Mkrtchian[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Koneru Humpy[/center][center]Position after 25...ed5:N[/center]

26.Qc3

• White is just closing in on Black. Her position is so strong that she no longer needs to find the very best move.
• White has a quicker win after [font color="red"]26.Rfe1[/font] when:
• If [font color="red"]26...Qd6[/font] then after [font color="red"]27.Qd1 Rd7 28.Qa4 Qb6 29.Rc8[/font] Black is aphyxiating.
• [font color="darkred"]26...Qxb2[/font] loses quickly to [font color="darkred"]27.Qxd5 Qb8 28.Nc6.[/font]

26...Rg8

• If [font color="red"]26...f6[/font] (giving the Black King a short lifeline) then White wins after [font color="red"]27.Nc6 d4 28.Qxd4 Nxc6 29.Rxc6.[/font]

27.Nc6 d4 28.Qxd4 Nxc6

• If [font color="red"]28...Ne6[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]29.Qd3 Rd7 30.Qxa6 Qb7 31.Qa4.[/font]

29.Rxc6 Rd7 30.Qc3 Qb7 31.Rc8+ Rd8 32.Rc7 1-0

• If [font color="red"]32...Qd5[/font] then White wins after [font color="red"]33.Re1 Rd7 34.Rc8+ Rd8 35.Qf6.[/font]
• Oriord Mkrtchian resigns.