International
RSSU Chess Cup

Tournaments↓

 V.Belous (Russia) - D.Swiercz (Poland) 

D. RSSU Student Grandmaster Cup (men)

English Opening

Round 2

The first round game was marked with Vladimir Belous moving forward his Queen side pawns to urgently (Belous - Reshetnikov: 1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.d4 e6 6.Ne5 c5 7.cd ed 8.Bd3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.g4?! Nc6 11.g5 Ne8 12.f4 and so on), and complicated his situation. In the second round Russian chess-player acts completely different. As opening weapon he chooses a strategy with underlined “avarice” of pawn promotion. Finally this elastic pawn structure becomes successful for White. 1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 dc 4. Qa4 Nd7 5. Qc4 a6 6. Bg2 White avoids moving forward central pawns early, a la Reti opening ideas. The move d2-d4 transfers the game into the Catalan opening motives and the rival gets control 4. 6... b5 

7. Qc2

[Alternative was 7. Qc6 Rb8 8. Qc2 , entrapping Black Rook on b8. In one of my old game was similar strategy in the same situation: �.Kalinin - H.Yonkman (Haarlem 1996) 8... Bb7 9. O-O c5 10. a4 Ngf6 11. ab ab 12. d3 Ra8?! (Black is focused on fighting for file "�", but delays developing Queen side. Was good 12...��7) 13. Ra8 Qa8 14. Qb3 Bc6 15. Nh4 Nd5 16. Nc3 Qb7?! (trying to avoid the move b5-b4, Black is finally under attack) 17. Nd5 ed 18. Nf5 g6 19. Nh6 Bg7 20. e4! c4 21. Qb4 Bf8 22. Qc3 f6 23. ed Bd5 24. Re1 Be7 25. Bd5 Qd5 26. dc bc 27. Ng4 Qc5 (27... Kf7 28. Ne3) 28. Nf6 Nf6 29. Qf6 Rf8 30. Be3! Qb4 31. Bd2 Qc5 32. Re7 Qe7 33. Qe7 Ke7 34. Bb4 1:0.] 

7... Bb7 8. O-O Ngf6 9. a4 c5 10. d3 Be7 

Black has no problems with strengthening. The only flow of its position is some vulnerability of “suspended” pawns b5 and �5. The next movements of White are to push at pawn b5. If promotion of b5-b4 is successful then White gets square �4. 11. Nc3 Qb6 12. ab ab 13. Ra8 Ba8 14. Qb3

14... Nd5

[In case of 14... b4 15. Nb1 Bd5 16. Qc2 O-O 17. Nbd2 Qb7 18. e4 Bc6 19. Nc4 White gets a small but strong position advantage, �.Suetin - V.Chuchelov (Berlin 1995).; 

To 14... Bc6 White may keep pushing at b5 making 15. Nd2] 

15. Bg5

[Not possible 15. Nb5? Because of 15... Bc6] 

15... Nc3 16. Qc3

[A big mistake would be 16. bc? Bf3] 

16... Bg5

[16... Bf3? 17. Qg7�] 

17. Ng5 O-O 18. Ra1 Bg2 19. Kg2

 

 

Despite multiple exchanging White maintain some initiative. All the White pieces are placed a bit more active. 19... h6 Black itself helps the opponent’s Knight to get a better position.

[Was expected 19... Qc6 20. f3 Ra8 . Though after 21. Ra8 Qa8 22. Ne4 vulnerability of b5 and �5 still makes Black to be more careful. Therefore to the obviouse 22... Qd5? answers (or 22... Qa7?! 23. b4! cb 24. Qb4 , and the days of pawn b5 are over.) 23. Qa5!±] 

20. Ne4 c4 Not willing to be under pressure, Black seeks to force the game. 21. dc Qc6 22. f3

 

 

22... Qc4? Further exchanges are excessive. It would be easier to defend pawn �4 with Queens and then to make 22...bc. 23. Qc4 bc 24. Nd6 Nb6 25. Ra6 Rb8 

 

 

White is dominating. Forces of Black are binned with defending each other and pawn �4. 26. Kf2 Fatal move of White Knight in the center is expected. 26... g5 27. e4 g4? Unsuccessful attempt of counter play.

[Hope for rescue was 27... Nd7 28. Nc4 Rc8 , for example 29. Ne3 Rb8 30. Ra2 Ne5 with some activity due to the lost pawn.] 

28. fg Nd7 29. Nc4 Rb3

[Or 29... Nc5 30. Rb6] 

30. Ke2 Nc5 31. Rb6 Rb6 32. Nb6 Ne4 Knight endgame with extra pawn and position advantage is victorious for White. Then followed: 33. Nd7 Kg7 34. b4 f5 35. gf ef 36. Ke3 Kg6 37. b5 Nd6 38. b6 Kg5 39. Kf3 Nb7 40. h4 Kg6 41. Kf4 Kh5 42. Kf5 Nd6 43. Kf4 Nb7 44. Ne5 Nd6 45. Kf3 White King goes to h3 followed by g3-g4X. 45... Nb7 46. Kg2  [1:0]