International
RSSU Chess Cup
27.01.2012 - 05.02.2012. Moscow, Russia
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English version of a site27.01.2012 - 05.02.2012. Moscow, Russia
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English version of a site
Tournaments↓
A. National Cup stage among men
Philidor Defense
Round 4
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 c6 8. a4
There is a basic tabiya of Henem variation in the Philidor Defense on the chessboard. Balanced center allows Black to place pieces in firm and elastic positions. 8... a5 Fixating pawn structure on the Queen side.
[Actually in that variation the game may turn out in different forms. For example, 8... b6 9. b3 a6 10. Bb2 Rb8 11. Qd2 b5 12. Bd3 Re8 13. Ne2 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 , with complicated position, typical for Breyer variation in Spanish Game, A.Shirov - B.Damlyanovic, Sarajevo 2003. And after 8...b6 9.d5 cd 10.Nd5 Bb7 “Sicilian” motives appear on the chessboard.]
9. h3 Nb6
[In the game A.Kovchan - A.Belyavsky (France 2011) follows: 9... ed 10. Nd4 Nc5 11. Bf4 Be6 12. Ne6 fe 13. e5 Nfd7 14. ed Rf4 15. de Qe7 16. Qe2 Raf8 17. f3 R8f6 18. b3 with a tiny advantage of White. Moving in the game, Black intends to reposition the Knights to be perfectly ready to confrontation in the center.]
10. Ba2 Also is 10.Bf1 (possible answer is 10...ed 11.Nd4 d5!?). In the game White decides to hide its "Spanish" Bishop at а2, and continues to push at the rival’s Queen side 10... Nfd7
11. de White hopes to use its pieces’ activity in position of fixed pawn center.
[In several games in the past the Chinese grandmaster made the move 11. Be3 , but has never gained any advantage. For example: 11... ed 12. Qd4 Nc5 13. Rad1 Be6 14. Be6 fe 15. e5 d5 16. Qg4 Qe8 17. b3 Nbd7 18. Rd4 Rf5 19. Qg3 Kh8 20. Rg4 Qf7 with Black’s rightful play, Ni Hua - H.Danielsen, New Delhi 2011.]
11... de 12. Be3! Important move. Black cannot reach square с5 due to vulnerability of pawn е5. 12... Qc7 13. Ng5 Now using limitations of the move Qc7, White gets advantage of pair of Bishops. 13... Bg5 14. Bg5 Nc5
15. Be3! Something new and pretty dangerous. Second appearing of Bishop on е3 ruins Black Bishop’s progress to е6.
[Was seen before 15. Qh5 Be6 16. Be3 Nbd7 17. Be6 Ne6 with equation.]
15... Ne6
[The Tactical essence of White’s strategy is 15... Nba4 16. Na4 Na4 17. Bb3! Nb6 (or 17... b5 18. Ba4 ba 19. Ra4 with position advantage of White.) 18. Bc5 Re8 (after 18... Rd8 19. Qf3 Ra6 20. Rad1 White dominates) 19. Bf7! Qf7 (19... Kf7? 20. Qh5) 20. Bb6 , and in the middlegame with "multicolored" Bishops White saves advantage. After the move in the game, for complete “happiness” Black has only to make Rd8 and Nd4. Therefore White should be very definitely.]
16. Qh5! Nd4 17. Rad1 c5
[No good 17... Nc2? because of 18. Bc5 Ne1 19. Bd6! Qd8 20. Bf8 Qf8 21. Qf7! Qf7 22. Rd8#;
To the pawn loss leads 17...Be6. To 17... Rd8 follows 18. Bf7! Qf7 19. Qe5 Nc4 20. Rd4!]
18. Nb5! Exchanging the only active Black piece. 18... Nb5 19. ab Bd7
[Attempt to neutralize Bishop а2 19... Be6 20. Be6 fe leads to position advantage of White due to vulnerability of pawns е6 and е5.]
Noticing the distance between Black pieces and Queen side, Chinese grandmaster hits a fatal blow! 20. Bh6! gh 21. Qh6 c4 The only chance for Black is "suppression" of Bishop а2. 22. Re3 f6 23. Rg3 Kf7 24. Rg7 Ke8 25. Qh7 Kd8
Black forces are paralyzed. If White Bishop enters the game, the end will be determined. 26. Bc4! Straightforward and hard!
26... Qc4
[Hopeless 26... Kc8 27. Be6 Rd8 28. Rd3]
27. Rgd7
[Victorious 27. Rdd7 Nd7 28. Rd7 Kc8 29. Rb7 Rd8 30. b6 with unavoidable mate.]
27... Kc8 28. R7d6 Qc7 29. Qh6 , and Black surrenders due to fatal losses. [1:0]
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