7/24/2019 – One doesn't lose forever! Sebastian Bogner, the current Swiss Champion, taught us all how to get out of a rut by clinically destroying Parham Maghsoodloo's weak opening play to get himself back into contention. Sam Shankland had the (missed) chance of the round against Vidit, but the American failed to assess properly the best continuation available to him. Peter Leko continued his remarkable fable by turning over a new leaf yet again — his game against Georgiadis lasted an epic 101 moves!
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One winner in round two
After four decisive games yesterday, the players were calmer today. Three games ended in interesting draws. Sam Shankland had the best chance of the round against Vidit Gujarathi, but the former US Champion missed a chance to start a ferocious attack involving a potential exchange sacrifice. Peter Leko tried for 101 moves to break through with rook and knight vs rook, but Nico Georgiadis held firm to take home half a point. Jorge Cori had very little to play with as White against Abdusattorov, and soon took a draw. In the only decisive game of the round, Sebastian Bogner began his comeback with a fine win over Parham Maghsoodloo. Time to dig in:
Bogner 1-0 Maghsoodloo
After the storm of the first few days, sunshine finally shone on the beleaguered Bogner. It was not some fantastic luck — he put his head down, got to work and played one of his finest games to dismantle the current World Junior Champion.
The Swiss No.1 was too strong for the Iranian No.2 | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Here are a few critical moments:
Bogner-Maghsoodloo
Position after 3...a6
Maghsoodloo plays his favourite line with 3...a6 against the Queen's Gambit.
Position after 12.Kb1
Parham's best chance to stay in the game lay in castling short and playing in the centre. Instead, 12...h6 created further problems for the current World Junior Champion.
Position after 14...0-0-0
15.♗xd6! is a fine voluntary exchange from Bogner. The plan is to further weaken the dark squares by exchanging off their best defender.
Position after 20.Qb4
In this position, Maghsoodloo finally erred with 20...♝h5?!. It was imperative to move the queen — either to c7 or b8 — to retain chances to hold. Instead, after the mistake in the game, Bogner was quick to cash in with 21.♘xa6! winning a pawn.
Position after 22.Nxb4
After the queens were exchanged, the endgame is close to trivial for White.
41.Nfe6! The final position is picturesque — Black has no way to avoid mate!
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Sebastian Bogner has had a horrible tournament till now, but the mark of a
true champion is to bounce back from the most painful of defeats. This is what
he did today. his victim being Parham Maghsoodloo.1.d4d52.c4e62...dxc43.e3a6!4.Bxc4c55.Nf3Nf66.0-0b57.Bb3Bb7and here the move
a6 is useful. In the game Black never got the same expansion.3.Nf33.Nc3Be74.Bf4Nf65.Nf30-06.e3c5is what is discussed at the top level,
majorly thanks to Anand.3...a6?!This move is useful in the case of a
Queen's Gambit accepted or a Tarrasch, but after Bogner's response I wonder
how productive this actually is.3...Nf6is more accurate.3...c5If
he really wanted to play the Tarrasch, this was the move order to do it. Here
for example after4.e3a6!is a useful move, as mentioned by Axel Smith
in his book e3 Poison. White does best to wait with5.a3!and afterNf6
Play a reversed Meran with6.dxc5Bxc57.b4Be78.Nbd2∞with a complex
position where practice has shown he has the easier play.4.cxd5!This
move leaves a6 looking a little stupid.exd55.Nc3Nf66.Bg5Be67.e3Nbd78.Bd3Bd69.Qc2Bogner has played natural moves. His plan is to castle
queenside and play on the kingside.c610.Bh4In order to not give Black
additional tempi with h6 and g5.Bg411.0-0-0Qc712.Kb1h612...0-0!?
was more double edged. Stockfish initially likes it for Black, but after
inputing a few logical moves it understands that White is having more than
just a nagging edge after13.h3Bh513...Bxf314.gxf3±is suicide -
there is no way Black is going to survive playing like this.14.g4Bg615.Bxg6fxg616.Nd2and the threats in the center are fast approaching.13.Rc1It is already getting difficult for me to offer constructive advice
to Black. The move a6 has created more harm than good, as the dark square
complex on the queenside is very weak. Perhaps the combination of a6 and c6
wasn't the best way to proceed?g5Parham is not making his life any easier.It was time to think about quick development. However, even after the
relatively best13...0-0-0Black is in trouble after14.Nd2Rhe815.Na4
and what is to stop the knight from hopping to c5?14.Bg3±White must
have been jumping with joy by now. He has a stable advantage and numerous ways
to improve his position. Black on the other hand has static weaknesses and no
counterplay.0-0-015.Bxd6!It is important for this to happen now, as
otherwise Black can get time to play c5, after which most of his problems
should disappear. Bogner exchanges off one of the dark squared guardians and
prepares to invade on c5.Qxd616.Nd2Kb8Bogner is just in time, as16...c5is impossible due to17.dxc5andNxc5loses a piece to18.Na417.Nb3Nb6White uses tactics to complete a strategic maneuver. The point is
that17...c5loses a pawn due to the pretty18.dxc5Nxc519.Nb5!axb520.Nxc5±18.Nc5White has now occupied the weakness, and in the next
few moves he will aim to strengthen his hold over the queenside.Nfd719.Qb3It is really nice how Bogner uses simple tactics to further his goals.Ka720.Qb4Being under enormous pressure, Maghsoodloo finally errs and loses a
pawn.Bh5?!Perhaps Parham missed something simple while calculating?20...Qc721.h3Be622.Ne2±was unpleasant, but holdable.21.Nxa6!Qxb422.Nxb4+-White has won a pawn and has no counterplay to deal with.
The game is effectively decided.Nc823.b3!Controls c4 and creates
additional room for the king.Nd624.a4f525.a5Bogner has realised that
Black has nothing constructive on the kingside, so he further improves his
position on the queenside.Nb8If black tries to get creative with25...Ne4then the simple26.Rc2puts paid to his plans.26.Na4Be827.Nc5
White still retains a winning advantage, but there were better ways to make
Black suffer.27.h4!is one way of converting that I feel is better than
the game. White creates additional weaknesses to exploit on the kingside.
AfterBd728.Nc5Bc829.hxg5hxg530.f3+-and Black is hopelessly
passive and lost.27...Ne428.f3Nd629.h4!Once Bogner hits on the
right idea, it takes him only 12 more moves to clean up.Bf730.Kc230.a6!was a nice tactical opportunity. The idea is that afterbxa631.Ncxa6Nxa6White has additional targets on the queenside, and Black's resisitance
will soon fold.32.Nxa6+-30...Rdg831.hxg5hxg532.Kd2Be833.Ne6g434.Nf4Nd735.Be2Nf636.Nbd3White has systematically improved his
position and is ready to strike. Black decides to retaliate before it is too
late.b637.axb6+37.Ne5!was more clinical. The idea is that after the
normalbxa5White goes after the house38.Nxc6+Bxc639.Rxh8Rxh840.Rxc6+-and Black's position looked far better on move 1! He has absolutely no
counterplay and there isn't a single pawn that can be defended easily.37...Kxb638.Nc5Nc839.Bd3Ne740.Ra1g3?Parham blunders mate.41.Nfe6
Bogner's spirit must be back to the highs after this game! A brilliant display
of technique and accuracy.1–0
The Queen’s Gambit Declined Exchange Variation is one of the most important opening systems, having been played by most of the great players in history and from both sides of the board. The most outstanding specialists in this method of play include Garry Kasparov, Mikhail Botvinnik and Samuel Reshevsky. The Black side proponents include Anatoly Karpov, Boris Spassky and Paul Keres. It is truly an opening of champions!
The Swiss Champion has started to fire | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Shankland ½-½ Vidit
The rating favourites have clashed early, and Shankland put Vidit under a lot of pressure right from the get-go. Unfortunately for him, finishing the dogged Black player wasn't something he was able to accomplish today.
Vidit survived a trial by fire | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Shankland-Vidit
White just played 17.d5
Vidit had to go for 17...f5! here, preventing White from expanding on the kingside. 17...♝e7? was a touch materialistic and allowed Shankland to launch a terrifying attack after 18.f5! The main point is that after Black plays 17...f5 18.♕d4 ♚f7! is a strong move for Black when he is in the game, alive and kicking.
Position after 18...f6
Find the move that Sam missed here, which gives White a surging initiative.
1.c4Nf62.Nf3e63.b3d54.Bb2Be75.e30-06.Nc3b67.cxd5exd58.d4We have arrived by transposition to the Queen's Indian Defense.Bb79.Bd3Nbd710.0-0a611.Ne2Bd612.Ng3g613.Ne5Qe714.f4Ne415.Bxe4dxe416.Nxd7Qxd717.d5Be717...f5!Prevents White from expanding in the
kingside and equalises rather comfortably.18.Qd4Kf7!19.Qg7+Ke818.f5f619.fxg619.Qg4!is an awkward move to meet. While White
doesn't possess a decisive advantage just yet, it is really difficult for
Black to find a constructive move. The most human way to continue seems to beRae820.Rad1Bc520...Bxd5is smashed out of the park by21.Rxd5‼Qxd522.fxg6Qg523.gxh7+Kxh724.Qxe4+Kg825.Rf3+-and Black's extra
exchange is useless against White's threats.21.Nxe4Bxe3+22.Kh1Qe723.Ng3±with a very uncomfortable position for Black.19...hxg620.Nxe420.Rc1!?was a possible alternative.20...Qxd521.Qxd5+Bxd522.Nxf6+Bxf623.Bxf6Despite White's pawn advantage, the endgame is close to drawn
due to opposite coloured bishops.Rae824.Rad1c625.Rd425.Bd4The
engine wants to play this move, but it doesn't see the simpleRxf1+26.Rxf1c5!27.Bf6Rxe3=and it's a dead draw.25...Re4!Vidit is very
precise in holding this.26.Rxe4Bxe427.Rf4Bf528.Bc3Bd329.h3Rxf430.exf4a531.Be5b532.Bc7b4!A very good decision by Vidit, liquidating
the pawns on the queenside. The draw is now fairly obvious.33.Bxa5Bb134.Bxb4Bxa235.Kf2Bxb336.g4Bc437.Kg3Bf138.h4Bd339.Kf3Kf740.Bc3Bc241.Ke2c542.Bb2Ke843.Ke1and the players agreed to a draw. An
interesting tussle, that could have gone White's way had Sam been a bit more
precise.½–½
The Queen's Indian Defense is one of the most solid and rich openings against 1.d4. Together with the Nimzo-Indian and the Catalan it forms the so called "Classical Setup", which any player should know. Victor Bologan calls the b7 bishop “the soul of the opening, the most important piece...keep it active”. Every chess enthusiast, from beginner to high level player, can profit from this DVD. Enrich your chess vocabulary, be open to new ideas: play the Queen’s Indian!
Wow, did I really blow it? | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Leko ½-½ Georgiadis
This is a new Peter Leko we are seeing. Instead of agreeing to tame draws, he is fighting until bare kings these days. A low rating and lack of invitations are perhaps telling, but what I believe is that the man himself wants to make another surge to the top, and to do so he has to reinvent himself. So instead of his perennial 1.e4, he has played 1.d4 exclusively. While he didn't win today, he did play the longest game of the round, something we don't really associate with the Leko of the past. Credit to Nico as well, who defended a piece down for a long time without faltering.
Youth managed to hold on, but not without some nightmarishly good defensive play! | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Leko-Georgiadis
Position after 23...d4
Peter has outplayed the young Swiss, but here he had to calculate and finish the job. Can you do better than him?
After 48...♞xf5! 49.gxf5 ♜xf5, Nico managed to transpose into an endgame a piece down, but a theoretical draw with correct play. He managed to hold on creditably.
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1.d4d52.c4e63.Nc3Bb44.cxd5exd55.Bf4Ne75...c66.e3Bf57.Bd3Bxd38.Qxd3Ne79.Nge2Nd710.0-00-011.a3Ba512.Rfc1a613.Bg51/2-1/2
(74) Andreikin,D (2708)-Fedoseev,V (2731) Sochi 20176.e3D31: Queen's
Gambit Declined: Semi-Slav without ...Nf6 (+ Marshall Gambit and Noteboom) and
Exchange Variation lines without ...Nf60-07.Nf3c68.Qb3Bd69.Bxd6Qxd610.Bd3b6NPredecessor:10...Nd711.Qc2Nf612.0-0g613.Rab1
0-1 (39) Esplugas Esteve,V (2285)-Peralta,F (2588) Santa Coloma 201611.Qc2h612.0-0Ba613.Ne5Bxd314.Nxd3Nd715.Rfd1Rfd816.Rac1Rac817.b4Nf818.a4Ne619.h3Ng620.a5bxa521.bxa5c521...Ne722.dxc5±Qa623.Ne2d4
24.e424.f4!±24...Qxa5=25.f4f5 is the
strong threat.Nxc526.Nxc5d3!27.Rxd3Rxd328.Qxd3
Black must now prevent Qd4.28...Rxc529.Rd1Qa430.Rb1Rc831.Rb7Qc432.Qd532.Qxc4with more complications.Rxc433.Rb8+Kh734.Re8f535.Kf232...Qxd533.exd5 Endgame KRN-KRNRd834.Rb5Kf835.Kf2a636.Ra5Rd637.Ke3Ne738.Nc3Ke839.g4Kd740.Ne4Rxd541.Rxa6f542.Ng3fxg443.hxg4Ke844.Ne4Kf745.f5h546.Ng5+Ke847.Ne6Hoping for Ke4.Kf748.Ra8Nxf5+49.gxf5Rxf5KRN-KR50.Nf450.Ke4looks sharper.Rb551.Nd4Rb452.Ke5Kg653.Nf350...Rb551.Ra7+Kf652.Ra6+Kf753.Nd3h454.Ke4h355.Nf2h256.Ra1Rh557.Rh1Ke658.Kf4g5+59.Kg3g460.Nxg4Rh861.Nxh2Kd562.Rd1+Ke463.Ng4Rf864.Re1+Kd465.Ne3Rg8+66.Kf4Rf8+67.Nf5+Kd368.Rd1+Kc269.Rd7Kc370.Ke4Re8+71.Ne7Rh872.Rc7+Kb373.Nf5Kb474.Nd6Rh4+The position is equal.75.Kd5Rh5+76.Kd4Rh4+77.Ne4Kb5!78.Rc5+Kb679.Re5Rh180.Re6+Kc781.Nc3Kd782.Ra6Rc183.Rh6Ra184.Ke5Rg185.Rd6+Ke886.Nd5Re1+87.Kf587.Kd4keeps more tension.Kf788.Kc3Rc1+89.Kb2Rh190.Rf6+87...Rf1+88.Nf4Ke789.Rd4Rf290.Rd1Rf391.Rd2Rf192.Rd3Rf293.Ke5Rf194.Nd5+Kf795.Ra3Re1+96.Ne3Kg697.Kf4Kf798.Kf5Ke799.Rd3Ra1100.Ke5Re1101.Ke4Accuracy: White = 60%, Black = 78%.½–½
The Semi-Slav (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6) can arise via various move orders, has decided World Championships, and is one of Black's most fascinating replies to 1 d4. Magnus Carlsen's second, Grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen explains in detail what this opening is all about.
The former Hungarian No.1 couldn't outlast his opponent today. | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Cori ½-½ Abdusattorov
The game in itself was a disappointment for White, but credit must be given to the young Uzbek for his outstanding opening preparation.
Cori needs to find some form, and find it quickly, if he needs to start challenging the leaders | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Here is one point where Abdusattorov could have gotten ambitious:
Cori-Abdusattorov
Position after 25.Qc1
Black could have tried to play on with a4 or ♜c4, but Abdusattorov chose to simplify with 25...♛b7. A draw soon ensued.
Watch out...here I come! | Photo: Simon Bohnenblust / Biel Chess Festival
Strongly threatening gxf6.26...Rxb227.Rxb2Qxb228.Qxb2Rxb229.gxf6= Endgame KRB-KRB. The position is equal.Rb730.Kf2Bc431.fxg7Rxg732.Rxg7+Kxg7KB-KB33.a3!Bd334.Ke3c435.Bf3Bb136.Kd2Kf637.Kc3Bd338.Kd2Bb139.Kc3Bd340.Kd2Bb1Accuracy: White = 79%, Black
= 76%.½–½
Tanmay SrinathTanmay Srinath has been writing for ChessBase India since quite some time now. His tournament reports and depth of analysis have been widely appreciated. Pursuing a full-fledged career in engineering Tanmay doesn't get enough time to pursue chess, but he loves to follow top-level encounters and analyzes those games with his Fat Fritz engine. We hope you find his analysis useful in your games.
Throughout the video course, Sasikran shows various examples from his career to explain sacrifices for initiative, an attack, a better pawn structure and much more.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
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2025 European Championship with a German double victory and analyses by Bluebaum, Svane, Rodshtein, Yuffa, Navara and many more. Opening videos by Engel, King and Marin. Training sections “The Fortress”, “The Trap” and “Fundamental Endgame Knowledge" etc.
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