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4. Nyzhnyk - Harikrishna (Group B), Round 9

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Pentala Harikrishna
[/center][font size="1"]Photo by http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Samson1964 Frank Hoppe] in http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category entala_Harikrishna Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)
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Illya Nyzhnyk - Pentala Harikrishna [D53]
Tata Steel Chess Tounament (Group B), Round 9
Wijk aan Zee, 24 January 2012

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Trompowsky-Torre Opening/Lasker Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.Rc1 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7 9.g3

• For a more complete look at the Lasker Defense, see Topalov-Anand, IT, Nanjing, 2010.

9...Qb4 (N)

• [font color="red"]9...Nxc3 10.Rxc3 c6 11.Bg2 Nd7 12.0-0[/font] gives White a slight advantage in space (Kramnik-Radjabov, Candidates' Matches, 2011).

10.Qc2

• The game is equal..

10...Qxc4

• If [font color="red"]10...Nc6!? 11.e3[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]11...Qa5 12.Qa4 Qxa4 13.Nxa4 Rd8 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Nd2[/font] gives White a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]11...Qe7 12.Be2[/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]12...Nxc3 13.Qxc3 a5 14.0-0 Bd7 15.Rfd1 a4 16.a3[/font] gives White a strong off-center duo.
• [font color="magenta"]12...Nf6 13.Qb3 Rd8 14.0-0 dxc4 15.Qxc4 e5 16.d5[/font] gives White the initiative and a slight advantage ins space.

11.Nxe4 Qxc2 12.Rxc2 dxe4

• The game remains equal.

13.Nd2

• [font color="red"]13.Ne5!? f6! 14.Ng6 Rf7 15.Bg2 Nc6 16.Rc4 f5[/font] gives Black a small advantage in space.

13...e5 14.Nxe4 exd4 15.Rxc7 Na6

• The game remains equal
• [font color="red"]15...a5 16.Rc1 Nc6 17.Bg2 a4 18.Kd2 Be6 19.Nd6[/font] is also level.

16.Rc1 Bd7 17.Bg2

• If [font color="red"]17.Nd6 Bc6 18.e4[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]18...d3 19.Rc4 Rad8 20.Nf5 Rfe8 21.f3 Bd5 22.Rc3[/font] remains equal.
• [font color="darkred"]18...dxe3?! 19.Rxc6! bxc6 20.Bxa6 Rab8 21.Nc4[/font] gives White two minor pieces against Black's Rook and extra pawn.

17...Bc6 18.Rg1 Rfe8

• [font color="red"]18...Rad8[/font] is probably more precise, but the game still reamins level after [font color="red"]19.Kd1 d3 20.e3 Rfe8 21.Nc3 Bxg2 22.Rxg2.[/font]

19.Nc5 Bb5 20.Bxb7 Rxe2+ 21.Kd1?!

• Although it seems counterintutive, the correct thing to do here is play 21.Kf1. The King will have check discovered on him at f1, but he will then have a safe haven at g2.
• If [font color="red"]21.Kf1![/font] then:
• If [font color="red"]21...Re6+ 22.Kg2 Bc6+ 23.Bxc6 Rxc6[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]24.Nd3 Rac8 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Re1 Kf8 27.Re5[/font] gives White a comfortable advantage in space.
• [font color="burgundy"]24.Nb3?! Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Nb4 26.Nxd4 Nxa2 27.Rc5[/font] gives White only a small advantage in space.
• If [font color="darkred"]21...Nxc5?! 22.Rxc5![/font] then:
• [font color="darkred"]22...Bd3 23.Bxa8 Rc2+ 24.Kg2 Rxc5 25.Rd1 Bc4 26.b3[/font] wins a pawn for White.
• [font color="magenta"]22...Rxb2+? 23.Rxb5! Rxb5 24.Bxa8[/font] leaves Black a piece to the good.

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BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

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[center]WHITE: Illya Nyzhnyk[/center]
[center]Position after 21.Ke1d1[/center]

21...Rb8!!

• Black sacrifices a piece.

22.Bxa6

• [font color="red"]22.Bc6?[/font] loses to [font color="red"]22...Nxc5! 23.Bxb5 Rxb2! 24.Rxc5 Rb1+ 25.Rc1 R8xb5[/font] when Black has an extra pawn.

22...Bxa6 23.Nxa6 Rbxb2

• Black has only a pawn for the Knight, but two Rooks on the seventh rank make it all worthwhile.

24.Rc8+ Kh7 25.Nb4?

• White can not afford any misstep. Although the Knight makes Black's manuevering on the short side more difficult, White's King must stay in touch with the Rook on the long side in order to prevent mate.
• Correct is [font color="red"]25.a4 Rxf2[/font] then:
• [font color="red"]26.Rb8 Ra2 27.Rb1 Rxh2 28.Nc5 f5[/font] White's Rooks heep the King defended at least for the time being, while the Knight can be used to block or capture the d-pawn.
• If [font color="darkred"]26.Rc1?[/font] then Black wins after [font color="darkred"]26...Rfd2+! 27.Ke1 Re2+ 28.Kf1 d3 29.Ra1 Ra2.[/font]
• If [font color="blue"]25.Rb8[/font] then Black wins after [font color="blue"]25...Rbd2+ 26.Kc1 Rxa2 27.Nc5 Rac2+ 28.Kd1.[/font]

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BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

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WHITE: Illya Nyzhnyk[/center]
[center]Position after 25.Na6b4[/center]


25...Rxf2!

• White threatens mate on b1.

26.a3

• This is the best defense, for what it's worth.
• If [font color="red"]26.Ke1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]26...Rxh2 27.Nd3 Rbe2+ 28.Kf1 Rd2 29.Rd8 Rxd3.[/font]

26...a5 27.Nd5 Ra2! 28.Re1

• If [font color="red"]28.Rc1[/font] then Black wins after [font color="red"]28...Rxh2! 29.Rb1 Rxa3 30.Kc1 d3 31.Kd1 a4.[/font]

[center]BLACK: Pentala Harikrishna[/center]

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WHITE: Illya Nyzhnyk[/center]
[center]Position after Position after 28.Rg1e1[/center]

28...d3! 0-1

• The text is crushing. White cannot move his King (29.Kc1 Ra1#) and his Rook is subject to attack from 30.d2!
• Illya Igorovich resigns.