Pirc power

by Jonathan Speelman
12/2/2018 – This week GM JON SPEELMAN takes a submission from a Belgian 2200 player featuring the Pirc Defence. Feel free to send in your own games! Jon can always use more material from readers. If your games are selected for the Agony column, not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!
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Speelman's Agony #88

This week's pair of games are by Thomas Maes, a forty-year-old Belgian rated round about 2200. Both feature successful provocation in the Pirc Defence.

In the first, Thomas got a better ending after complications but somewhat disappointingly decided to offer a draw after a hard week's work. In the second, he took over the initiative to unleash a devastating attack.

Marin and Maes

He sent a very few notes but the rest, which I've mostly remembered to mark as 'JS', are mine.

Editor's note: GM Mihail Marin (pictured with this week's Agony/Ecstasy subject) has authored a video series on the Pirc and writes of the opening:

When playing the Pirc, one must know what to do against White's attacking systems. White's space advantage offers him a lot of active possibilities, but when White proceeds aggressively he creates weaknesses in his own camp that Black can use for counterplay. There are a number of forced lines but they are mostly based on the elementary principles of dynamics and development. With these principles, one should find one's way when confronted with a novelty or ... forgot one's analysis! The resulting positions are usually dynamic or double-edged and offer fairly balanced chances. The better tactician may win, but do not be disappointed if the game ends in a spectacular and logical draw!

 
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1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Bg7 5.Qd2 h6 6.Bf4 6.Be3 JS is more critical I think. If then Ng4 6...c6 7.f3 7.Bf4 e5 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.0-0-0 looks a tad better for White. 6...g5 7.Be3 7.Bg3 Nh5 7...Ng4 8.h4 Nxe3 9.Qxe3 e6 10.0-0-0 Nc6
11.Nf3?! JS This loses time. White could try 11.Bb5 when he's reasonably happy to exchange off another bishop for knight to stablise the centre totally. But the most consequent is to try to exploit Black's lack of development immediately with 11.hxg5 hxg5 12.Rxh8+ Bxh8 13.Bb5 Bd7 14.g4 Qf6 15.Nf3 when he should win the g-pawn for some compensation. 11...g4 12.Ne1 Qf6 13.Nb5 Qe7 14.f4 14.c3 a6 15.Na3 JS would barricade the diagonal but be very passive. 14...gxf3 If he doesn't take en passant then White will get reasonable control of e5 so this is totally consonant with his previous play but obviously involves some short-term danger. 15.Nxf3 a6 16.Nc3 b6
If White doesn't act now then Black will get castled queenside himself with a very pleasant game so the next move is more or less necessary if very committal. 17.e5 Bb7!? JS Quite provocative. JS If 17...dxe5 18.dxe5 Bb7 the e-pawn is very weak but Black still has to sort his king out which will involve concession(s). 19.Qf4 Rd8 19...Qc5? 20.Ne4 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Nf6+ 20.Bd3 20.Be2 Qc5 21.Rxd8+ Nxd8 21...Kxd8!? 22.Qxf7 Qe7 23.Rd1+ Kc8 24.Qxe7 Nxe7 25.Bc4 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Bxe5 27.Bxe6+ Kb8 White is better, of course, but Black has very decent drawing chances. 22.Re1 Nc6 23.Bd3 20...Qc5 21.Rhe1 18.exd6 Qxd6 18...cxd6 19.d5 Ne5 20.dxe6 fxe6 20...0-0!? 21.Qxb6 Nf7 22.Qe3 0-0 19.d5 Ne5
20.Ne4 20.dxe6 Qxe6 21.Nd4 Qf6 22.Bb5+ JS was my absolute first thought but in fact after Instead the engine suggests 22.Bxa6 Rxa6 22...Bxa6 23.Nd5 Qd8 24.Nf5 23.Rhf1 Qg6 24.Nf5 Qh7 24...Bf6 25.Nd5 Bxd5 26.Rxd5 Ra5! 26...0-0 27.Rxe5 Rxa2 28.Kb1 Rfa8 29.Re8+ Kh7 30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Qe4 with a nice advantage. 27.Rxa5 bxa5 28.Qc5 Qxg2 29.Re1 Kd8 30.Rd1+ Kc8 31.Nd6+ Kb8 32.Qb5+ Ka7 33.Qxa5+ Kb8 25.Nd5 22...axb5 23.Rhf1 Qg6 24.Nf5 Qh7 it doesn't work because if 25.Nd5 0-0-0! 20...Qb4 21.c3 Qa5 21...Qa4 22.Qf4! win a piece though it's still very complicated 22.Nc5? loses to Ng4 22...Qxa2 23.Nxe5 Bxe5 24.Qxe5 Qa1+ 25.Kc2 Qa4+ 26.Kd2 0-0-0 27.Nf6 Bxd5 28.Ke3! 22.dxe6 fxe6
With Black one move away from safety, White has to look for somthing violent and Houdini immmediately flagged up Bc4. 23.Kb1 23.Bc4‼ when Black has a rotten game unless he takes the bishop but that loses: Nxc4 23...0-0 24.Bxe6+ Kh8 25.Neg5! 24.Nf6+! Kf7 24...Kf8 25.Qxe6 24...Bxf6 25.Qxe6+ Be7 26.Qg6+ Kf8 27.Rhf1 25.Rd7+ Kxf6 25...Kg6 26.h5+ Kxf6 27.Qd4+ 26.Qd4+ e5 27.Qg4 Rhg8 28.Rf1! Ne3 29.Nd4+ Nxf1 30.Qf5# 23...0-0 24.Nxe5 Not a move White wants to play but Black is already fine.. 24.Nd4 Rad8 25.Be2 Bd5 24...Qxe5 25.Bd3 Rf4 26.Rde1 26.Rhe1 Rxh4 White loses a pawn but keeps the huge knight on e4 which is no less important. 26...Rd8 27.Ng5! hxg5 28.Qxe5 Bxe5 29.Rxe5 Be4 30.Rxg5+ Kf7 31.Rg3 26...Rd8
27.Ng3 As Thomas points out, if 27.Bc2? Bxe4 28.Bxe4 Rxe4 29.Qxe4 Rd1+ 30.Kc2 Qxe4+ 31.Rxe4 Rxh1-+ 27...Qxe3 28.Rxe3 Bxg2 29.Rg1 Rf3 Here Thomas offered a draw because "I did not really like to play a long time after a grueling week. Black is of course better in this endgame." Indeed after 29...Rf3 30.Rxf3 Bxf3 31.Bxa6 Black is better due to the two bishops. A sad but far from Agonising end to a game which simmered on the edge of extreme violence without ever quite delivering it. ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Santagati,A2314Maes,T2201½–½2017B07Erice Open9.8
Beukenhorst,E1953Maes,T22280–12017B07Geraardsbergen Open2.5

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The resulting positions are usually dynamic or double-edged and offer fairly balanced chances. The better tactician may win, but do not be dissappointed if the game ends in a spectacular and logical draw!

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Jonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.

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