CBM 211: Battle of giants in the Bundesliga

by Nagesh Havanur
3/22/2023 – ChessBase Magazine offers a window to the world of professional chess. 618 games (20 annotated) from the Schachbundesliga, Meltwater Tour Tournament and the U.S. Championship, plus 12 opening surveys, 8 demo lectures and several exercises for training. Annotators include Loek Van Wely, Pavel Eljanov and Luke McShane, Erwin L’Ami, Nikita Vitiugov, Nils Grandelius and Gawain Jones among others. The icing on the cake is a feature on Misha Tal with 21 annotated games.
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Three musketeers in the Bundesliga

Among all chess tournaments in the world, the Schachbundesliga is unique and it defies neat and easy description. It’s a big event, with 16 teams vying for honours, and the competition lasts months. At the time of writing Season 2022-2023 is in progress and OSG Baden-Baden is leading the table, closely followed by SC Viernheim.

Chess Bundesliga

(L) Nodirbek Abdusattorov versus Markus Ragger Bundesliga, (R) Shakhriyar Mamedyarov vs Jorden van Foreest | Photo: Stefan Spiegel / schachbundesliga.de

OSG Baden-Baden has dominated the Schachbundesliga for decades. But now who knows? Only time can tell. In this issue, Pavel Eljanov, Loek Van Wely and Luke McShane annotate their games (one each).

The following game sums up the extraordinary tension of the chess that is played.

 
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1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.c4 The first time I played Zbynek in the Bundesliga, I think it was 1997 in a cup match between SG Porz and SV Bremen. So needless to say we go a long way back. Only recently, in July I managed to beat him for the first time in my life with white. In that game I also opened with 1. c4, but unfortunately I forgot why.... Anyway i supposed I had good reasons to do so, so I decided to repeat it. e5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 Bc5 4.Nc3 c6 After this move I was basically on my own and I went for a deep think. 5.e4!? 5.Nf3 is the more critical move, of course. I was told about it after the game. I remembered vaguely... e4 6.Nh4 d5 7.cxd5 cxd5 8.d3 Ng4 9.0-0 g5 10.dxe4 gxh4 11.Bf4 was like Caruana-van Foreest in Tata 2020 with huge complications. Probably good that I didn't remember! 5...d5!? Possibly not the best move, but a very bold one. Zbynek doesn't want to allow me to develop quietly (and rightly so) and gambles a bit. 6.exd5 cxd5 7.cxd5 Bf5 8.d3?! The most natural move but not the best and definetly not the most challenging. 8.Nge2 Bd3 I didn't like the look of this because I didn't see how to untangle myself. However there is a good way: 9.b4 Be7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.Nc1 Bg6 12.a3 also 8.Nf3 was possible but after Bd3 I didn't consider 9.Bf1 at all Bxf1 10.Kxf1 and white is better here. 8...Qb6 9.Qe2? After this natural move white is worse, he should have gone for 9.Qd2 9...0-0 10.Nf3 Qa6 This is annoying since white can't take on e5. 11.Ne4 I have to admit, around here I started to miss a few moves, normally not a good sign! Nbd7 To be honest with you, I completely missed that he could have taken the pawn on e4: 11...Nxe4 12.dxe4 Qxe2+ 13.Kxe2 Bxe4 but luckily I still have 14.Nh4 However my main focus was on 11...Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Nxd5 Needless to say, the move played in the game wasn't on my radar at all. 12.Nh4 Bg4 13.f3 When I played this move, even I realized that things could go wrong today, and that probably a draw isn't such a bad result :) I did consider the more conservative 13.Bf3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Bb4+ 14...Nxe4 is even stronger: 15.dxe4 Bb4+ 16.Bd2 Bxd2+ 17.Kxd2 f5! 18.exf5 e4! white's king won't live another day! 15.Kf1 Nxd5 16.Nf5 Pretending to have some attack, in which I didn't believe in , and indeed after g6 white is being pushed back. 13...Bh5 14.Bh3 Rad8 15.Bd2 Bb6 16.Bxd7 Nxd7 17.Nf5 Nc5 18.Nxc5 Bxc5 19.Rc1 I could have bailed out into some miserable endgame with good drawing chances, but both I and Zbynek missed an important detail. 19.d4 Qxe2+ 20.Kxe2 exd4 21.g4 Bg6 22.b4 Bd6 23.Nxd6 Rxd6 24.Rac1 19...Bg6 We both thought 19...Rxd5 wasn't possible because of 20.b4 But we both also missed that Bd6 is possible and white is busted! 20.Rxc5?! Missing the nice desperado 20.Nh6+ destroying black's pawn structure. 20.d4 was also a good way to escape to a better endgame version than the previous one: Qxe2+ 21.Kxe2 Bxf5 22.Rxc5 20...Bxf5 21.Ra5 Qg6 22.Bb4 Rfe8 23.d6 I spent here a lot of my remaining time left, because I realized that Zbynek has a possibility that I didn't see coming before. Bxd3 this is what I expected ( and it's good) but I was more worried about 23...e4 opening up the position. Not the best, but feared the most! 24.Qe3 This was my brilliant idea, but after 24.d7 Re6 25.0-0 exd3 24.0-0 is probably still best, but obviously black is much better after exd3 25.Qd2 Re2 26.Qf4 Bd7 24...exf3 25.Re5 Rxe5 26.Qxe5 Bd7! black is in control. 24.Qe3 e4 25.f4 Rxd6? Unnecessary. With 25...Qf6 26.Bc3 Qxd6 he could have picked up the d6 pawn for free. Attack on g7 is not existent and at some point black will land a rook on d3 and the game wil be over. 26.Rg5 Qh6 27.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.Qc5? Suddenly I felt optimistic again and wanted to be active. Probably dreaming of getting my king on e3 as well. Better was just to activate the other rook and things wouldn't have been clear, especially in time trouble. 28.Kf2 Qb4 29.Rd1 Qxb2+ 30.Rd2 Qb1 31.g4! and my king will be very comfortable on g3 28...Qd7 29.Qc3 g6 30.Re5 Rc8 31.Rc5 Re8 31...Rd8! 32.h3 It is not that I didn't want a draw, but i was suspicious that black could improve somehow. And this time my intuition didn't let me down. 32.Kd2! would have been quite a move, and last but not least, showing understanding! Bring the king to relative safety (c1) and at the same time activating the rook on h1. I guess, after suffering from a heart attack first, my team mates would have been proud of me later, if I was still alive of course : ) 32...e3 33.Rh2 e2 34.Re5 I almost played 34.Rf2 but then noticed just on time that Qxh3 could be unpleasant. 34...Rc8 34...Rd8 35.h4 35.Rc5 Re8 35...Rd8! 36.Re5 Ba6 37.Rhxe2 Bxe2 38.Rxe2 Qxh3 white being a pawn down , and an unsafe king, there is little to hope for. 36.Re5 Here I made my best ( and most shameful) move and offered a draw. For that I should apologize to Zbynek. However, I am very happy, he took it! Thus my team Solingen won the match 4.5 -3.5... ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Van Wely,L2629Hracek,Z2542½–½2022A23Bundesliga 2223
 

A fighting draw!

When I looked up the database in this issue, I also found games by veterans, Alexei Shirov and Vasyl Ivanchuk. Worth a look.

Magnus proves himself

This issue also includes games from the Meltwater Chess Tour. Carlsen may not be defending his title in a world championship match, but he still wants to demonstrate that he is the best player in the world. In this tournament, he swept the opposition and came ahead of Wesley So and others. However, in his individual encounters, his rivals were not without chances. Take a look here.

 
So vs. Carlsen
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37.Re7 Rxe7 Carlsen gets rid of the menacing rook on e7 and hopes to neutralise the threat of the emerging White pawn on e7 with his queen and bishop. Engines offer a spectacular line with 37...Rg8! 38.axb5 a4 39.Kh2 a3 40.Qg3 Qxb5 41.Rxe6! a2 42.Re7 a1Q 43.Bxg6+! Rxg6 44.Rxf7+ Kh8 45.Rf8+ Kh7= Not easy for a human player to find it just before reaching time control. 38.fxe7 Qd1+?? A tempting move to gain time on clock and a losing blunder as now the queen is far from defending the squares around the king. He missed 38...Bd7! 39.Qxf7+ Kh8 40.e8Q+ Bxe8 41.Qxe8+ Kg7 42.Qxb5 Qxb5 43.axb5 a4 44.b6 a3 45.b7 a2 46.b8Q a1Q+ 47.Kh2 Qd4 White is still a pawn up. However, he enjoys only a slender advantage on account of the activity of the Black queen. 39.Kh2 Qd7 40.axb5? Obvious and wrong. It helps his adversary to prolong the struggle. But let us remember that Wesley So was just reaching the time control. He missed an immediate win with 40.Qf6! bxa4 41.Bxg6+! fxg6 42.Qf8 a3 43.e8Q Qxe8 44.Qxe8 a2 45.Qe7+ Kh8 46.Qd8+ Kg7 47.Qxa5+- 40...Qxe7 41.b6 a4 42.b7 Qc7 43.Qg3 h5 44.Qa3 h4 45.Qb2? This allows Carlsen to prolong the struggle. 45.Qd6! Qc1 46.Bxg6+! 46.b8Q? Qf4+ 47.Kg1 Qe3+= 46...Kxg6 47.b8Q+- would have clinched the issue. 45...Bb3 46.Bd5 Qb8 47.Qd4? This squanders all advantage. With 47.Be4± he would have avoided exchange of bishops and retained a positional plus. 47...Bxd5 48.Qxd5 Kg7 49.g3 a3 50.gxh4 Qc7 51.Qb3 Qxe5+ 52.Kg2 a2 53.Qxa2 Qe4+ 54.Kg3 Qxb7 Now it's a draw, though the players fought on for 113 moves! ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W-Carlsen,M-½–½2022Meltwater Tour
 

Caruana scores

This issue also incudes all games from the main section of the U.S. Championship. Fabiano Caruana won the event with a score of 8½/13 edging out Ray Robson half a point behind him. This time, a host of experienced players — So, Dominguez, Aronian and Shankland — finished a little below in the tournament table. However, there were few decisive encounters on the top boards and I didn’t find the play very exciting in this tame contest.

Robert Ris takes a different view, though. He offers a “Move by Move” commentary on the encounter Ray Robson vs Wesley So from this Championship. 

Ray Robson, Wesley So

Ray Robson playing white against Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

Here is the game:

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nf3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 d6 7.Bd3 e5 8.e4 Re8 9.0-0 exd4 10.cxd4 Nxe4 11.Re1 Nf6 12.Rxe8+ Qxe8 13.h3 Nbd7 14.Qc2 b6 15.Bb2 Bb7 16.d5 Qf8 17.g4 h6 18.Kh2 c6 19.g5 hxg5 20.Nxg5 cxd5 21.Bh7+ Kh8 22.Bf5 Ne5 23.f4 Ng6 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.Nxf7+ Qxf7 26.Bxg6 Qe7 27.Qf2 f5 28.Rg1 Rg8 29.Rg5 Rg7 30.Qh4+ Kg8 31.Qh5 Bc8 32.cxd5 a5 33.Qh6 b5 34.Bh7+ Kf8 35.Rg2 1–0
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Robson,R2690So,W27741–02022E50USA-ch7
 

The U.S. Women’s Championship was won by Jennifer Yu, who won a fiercely fought tie-break match from Irina Krush. Perhaps those games deserved to be included here.

A Tal special

This issue also carries a special feature on Misha Tal with 21 annotated games, commentary on his play in middlegame and endgame. The opponents include such illustrious names as Botvinnik, Fischer, Spassky and Karpov, not to mention Beliavsky, Larsen, Hübner and Speelman, our own ChessBase columnist. This single feature merits more detailed consideration. Perhaps next time.

ChessBase Magazine

Opening videos and surveys

There are 3 opening videos in this issue. The first offers an introduction to the Scotch Gambit by Daniel King. The second presents Ruslan Ponomariov’s analysis of a line in the Rossolimo System against the Sicilian, reached by a slightly different move order (1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5). The third is a lecture on the Saemisch Benoni by Mihail Marin

Take your pick.

What is more, there are as many as 12 opening surveys, ranging from the Sicilian to the Slav.

Riot in the Rossolimo

First, I would single out the analysis by Imre Hera on a rare variation of the Sicilian Rossolimo. In his book Coffeehouse Repertoire 1.e4 (Quality Chess 2021), Gawain Jones states that this novelty is attributed to Nikita Vitiugov who played it way back in 2017.

Now there are some hair-rasing lines here, and I am only offering a field map. For starters, let us see the line with 7.Nd5!? d6.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.0-0 a6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Nd5 d6 8.Ne3 Nf6 The noughty 8...g5 exists here as well. 9.c3 h5 10.Bc2 g4 11.Ne1 d5!?N The only way to fight for the centre. We can see a huge exception again! Out of his first eleven moves, Black moved his knight and d-pawn already twice, apart from that he has not brought any other pieces into. After all he even initiates to open the position, like a beginner. His only luck is that the white knights ideally cover the e-file. There was no time for 11...Bg7?! 12.f3 gxf3? 13.Nxf3± e5 14.Qe1 h4 15.Bb3 Be6 16.d4!? cxd4 16...exd4 17.Nd5 Ne5 18.cxd4 Nxf3+ 19.Rxf3 Bxd4+ 20.Be3 Be5 21.Bf4 17.cxd4 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 exd4 19.Nf5 Be5 20.Bf4 with an undoubtful domination for White in Khachiyan (2525) - Fier (2582) Saint Louis 2018. 12.exd5 exd5 13.d4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bg7 15.Nd3 Nxd4 16.Nf4 16.Re1!? Ne7 17.Nf1 is another interesting regrouping. Ne6 17...Nxc2 18.Qxc2 0-0 19.Bg5 f6 20.Bd2 Bf5 21.Qb3 Nc6 22.Nf4! Nd4 23.Qg3 Nc2 24.Ne3 Nxe3 25.Bxe3 18.Bd2 16...Ne7 17.Re1 Be6 18.Ba4+ b5 19.Bb3 Kf8 20.Nc2 Nxb3 21.axb3 with a very messy position. If I were Black, I would definitely not be delighted the look of my kingside. 9.c3 d5! Otherwise White executes Bc2, d3-d4. 10.exd5 Nxd5 10...exd5 would give up the bishop pair for finishing the development faster. 11.Re1 Be7 12.Nf5 0-0 13.Nxe7+ Nxe7 14.Bf1 d4 14...Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.g4 Bg6 17.d3 14...Re8 15.b4! cxb4 16.cxb4 Qb6 17.Qb3 Ne4 18.Qe3! 15.cxd4 cxd4 16.b3 Nc6 17.Ba3 Re8 18.Qc2 Bg4 19.Rxe8+ Qxe8 20.Re1 Qb8! A dreadul square to prevent Ne5. 20...Qd7 21.Ne5 Nxe5 22.Rxe5 21.Ng5 Qf4 Gabrielian (2464) - Ghaziolsharif (2183), Internet blitz 2022 22.Nxf7‼ was a fantastic opportunity. d3! Everything else loses right away. 23.Bxd3 Nd4 24.Nh6+! Kh8 If 24...gxh6 25.Qc4+ Kh8 26.Bb2 Rd8 27.Re4‼ would be an outstanding crowning of the whole sacrifice. Nxe4 28.Bxd4+ Rxd4 29.Qxd4+ Qf6 30.Qxe4 Qa1+ 31.Bf1+- with some lucky happy ending. 25.Qc3! gxh6 11.Be4 An ambitious continuation. White is ready for d2-d4. 11.Bc2 could have been another alternative. Nf6 11...Be7 12.d4 Nf6 12...cxd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Nf6 15.Qf4! Bd7 16.Rd1 Qb8 17.Nc4± 13.dxc5 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Bxc5 15.a4 0-0 16.Nc4 12.Qe2 Be7 13.Rd1 0-0 13...Qc7 14.d4 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 0-0 17.Nc4 Nd5 18.a4 Bd7 19.Ne5 14.d4 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.Rxd4 is not that harmless as it may seem at first glance. Qc7 17.Ng4 Nxg4 17...Nd5 18.Bd2 18.Rxg4 e5 19.Re4!? 19.Rg3 g6! 20.Bh6 Re8 21.Bb3 Bf8 22.Bxf8 Kxf8= 19...Bf6 20.Rc4 11...Be7?! It is instuctive to note that such a natural developing reaction is already inaccurate. 11...Nxe3 12.fxe3 Bd6 13.d4 0-0 14.Bc2! Qe7 15.Qd3 f5 16.e4 cxd4 17.exf5 exf5 18.Re1 Qc7 19.cxd4 Bd7 20.Bb3+ Kh8 21.Bd2 Rae8 with a playable position for both sides. The courageous 11...Bd6 would put on the gloves the best. 12.Kh1 12.d4 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Qh4 would be a latent threat compared to the lines discussed below after 11...Be7. 14.f4! Bxf4 15.Rxf4 Nxf4 16.Nxc6 0-0 17.Nd4 Nh3+! 18.gxh3 Qxe4 19.Qg4∞ with enormous complications. 12...Nxe3 12...Nce7 13.d4 0-0 14.Bc2 b5 15.Qd3 f5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.dxc5 Bxc5 18.Qe2 The e6-pawn as a backwarded, long-term weakness gives White a good target for lining up. 12...Nf6 13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Nc4 Playing versus he double pawns is still good for White. 13.fxe3 0-0 14.d4 Qe7 15.Bxc6! 15.Bc2 e5 15...bxc6 16.e4 cxd4 17.e5! A pure intermediation. Bc7 18.Qxd4! The real goal of the process: swinging the queen over the kingside. c5 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.Qh5 f6 21.exf6 gxf6 22.Be3 12.d4 Nf6? Wrongly estimating the exchanges. 12...cxd4 does not relieve the headaches, but less evil than the game. 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 13...0-0 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.c4 Nxe3 16.Bxe3 Qc7 17.Qf3 Rb8 18.b3 c5 19.Bf4! e5 20.Bd2 14.Qxd4 Nf6 15.Qxd8+ Bxd8 16.Bf3 Rb8 17.Nc4 Bc7 18.Rd1 13.Bxc6+! Simplifying to a one-sided middlegame was something, White would not miss. bxc6 14.dxc5 Qxd1 15.Rxd1 Bxc5 16.Ne5 Besides the more pawn islands, Black's main problem will be covering the weak, d6-square. Bb7 17.N3c4 Ne4 18.Be3 Each move comes with tempo. Bxe3 19.Nxe3 f6 20.N5c4 Ke7 21.f3 21.Na5 was good too. Rab8 22.Nec4 Ba8 23.Nb3± 21...Nc5 22.Na5 Rab8 23.Rd4 Nd7? 23...Ba8 24.Rc4 Nd3 gave some practical chances. 23...Rhd8 24.Rc4 Nd3 could have been met by 25.Rxc6! Nxb2 26.Rc7+ Rd7 27.Rxd7+ Kxd7 28.Rb1+- 24.Re1 g6 25.Nec4 g5 26.Nd6 Ba8 27.Nf5+ Kd8 28.Rxe6 Kc7 29.Re7 Rhd8 30.Ng7 An overwhelming strategical victory in a line that starts wildly. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Erdos,V2604Babula,V25741–02022B30Mitropa Cup 20222.1
Rossolimo,7-Sicilian 7...d6 -1–02023B30
 

What if Black plays the wild and violent 7…g5!? Here we go!

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 The Rossolimo Variation. Nd4 4.Nf3 e6 5.0-0 a6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Nd5!? g5!? The sober 7...d6 8.Ne3 Nf6 9.c3 d5! is analysed in depth by Imre Hera in this issue (CBM 211). 8.Nxg5 exd5 9.Qh5 Ne5 Gawain Jones' line 9...Qe7 10.exd5 Nf6 11.Qd1 Ne5 12.f4 Nxd3 13.cxd3 Qd6 14.Re1+ Be7 15.b4!? may be met by Nxd5 16.Bb2 Rg8∞ 10.exd5 d6 11.f4 Bg4 12.Qh4 h6 12...Bh6 13.Re1 Kf8∞ - Imre Hera 12...Nxd3 13.Qxg4 h6 14.Ne4 Nb4∞ - Imre Hera 13.Re1 hxg5 14.Qxh8 gxf4 15.Qxg8 Qh4 16.Rf1 0-0-0 17.Qh7 Qf6 18.Qe4 f3 19.Rf2 Bh6 20.Bf1 Qg7 21.d4 f5 22.Bxh6 Qxh6 23.Qe1 cxd4 24.g3 f4 25.Qd2 Rf8 26.Re1 Bh3 27.Kh1 Rh8 28.Bxh3+ Qxh3 29.Qxf4 Ng4 30.Qf5+ Kb8 31.Qxf3 Nxh2 32.Qg2 Ng4+ 33.Qxh3 Nxf2+ 34.Kg2 Nxh3 35.Rh1 Ka7 36.Rxh3 Rc8 37.c3 dxc3 38.bxc3 Rxc3 39.g4 Rc2+ 40.Kg3 Rxa2 41.g5 Rc2 42.Kg4 b5 43.g6 Rc8 44.Kf5 a5 45.Ke6 Kb6 46.Kxd6 Rg8 47.Rg3 b4 48.Ke7 a4 49.Kf7 Ra8 50.g7 Kc5 51.d6 Kxd6 52.Rg6+ Kc5 ½–½
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Young,S2297Chronopoulos,A2295½–½2022B30Peace Open Gr. 18 corr.ICCF
 

Fighting back in the Grünfeld

Second, I would draw attention to an important analysis by Petra Papp in the Grünfeld Defence.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 The Grünfeld Defence. 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 The Russian System named after the Russian players, Botvinnik and others who played this variation. It became a battleground in Kasparov-Karpov World Championship Matches with Karpov playing White. dxc4 Forced. A move like 5...c6 would give Black a passive position. 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Now White has a full pawn centre and it would be challenged. Nc6 8.Be2 e5! Offering a pawn for freeing the iposition. 8...Nd7 is the older line. 8...Bg4 is standard. 9.d5 If 9.dxe5 Ng4! 10.Nd5 Be6 11.0-0 Ngxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Qxc7 Bxd5 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8 15.exd5 Rxd5 16.Be3 Nc6 ½ -½ (36 moves), Basso, Pier Luigi-Rakotomaharo,FY Antenaina, Paleochora 2021. 9...Nd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4 c6 12.Qc4 12.d6 Re8 13.Qd3 b5 14.f3 Re6 15.Qc2 Qxd6 with annotations by Petra Papp elsewhere in this CBM 211 Review 12...cxd5 The other line is better known. 12...b5! 13.Qxc6 Bd7 14.Qd6 Re8 15.Bg5 b4 16.Qxb4 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Qxg5 18.0-0 Rab8 19.Qd6 Bh3∞ And Black has enough compensation for the pawn with dynamic play. 13.exd5 b5‼ first seen in an ICCF corr.game. 14.Qxb5 Or 14.Nxb5 Nxd5 15.0-0 a6 16.Nc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Be6 18.Qa4 Bxc3 19.Rb1 Qa5= 14...a5 15.Qc5 15.Qc6 Bf5 16.0-0 Rc8 17.Qa6 Ne4 18.Be3 Nxc3 19.bxc3 Qxd5 20.c4 Qe6 21.Qxe6 Bxe6 ½ -½ (33 moves), Martin Sanchez, Carlos-Dijon, Jean Michel, corr.ICCF 2013 15...a4 16.0-0 a3 17.bxa3 Nd7 18.Qb4 Rb8 19.Qc4 Nb6 20.Qd3 Re8 21.Bd2 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Bf5 23.Qc4 Rc8 24.Qb5 Rb8= Very fine anlysis by Petra Papp in this issue (CBM 211).
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Russian System-Grünfeld Defence- ECO
 

What if White plays the dangerous 12.d6!? in this variation? Petra Papp offers a terrific correspondence game with brilliant annotations:

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Nc6 8.Be2 e5! 9.d5! Most principled continuation. Nd4! The key idea. Black is ready to sacrifice a pawn to activate his g7B. White has to accept the pawn sacrifice. Otherwise, black has a fine position, thanks to the strong d4N. 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4 c6! Attacks the center and threatens Nxd5. 12.d6 Re8! A logical move. Black intends ot take on e4 with the knight. 13.Qd3 b5! Everything comes with tempo. The plans are b5-b4 or Be6-c4. 14.f3 White has an extra pawn, but black is ready to attack it on d6 and take back the material balance. Still, statically white can hope to some advantage due to better pawn structure, so black should be active and precise with their piece counterplay! Re6 Winning back the pawn is the most solid approach. Black quickly equalises in all variations. 15.Qc2 Black now has two choices: capture on d6 with a rook or queen. Both moves are acceptable but will lead to totally different types of positions. 15.Be3 see the other game in the article: Bosiocic-Ragger 15.Bf4? Nh5 15...Qxd6 15...Rxd6 16.Bf4 Rd7 17.Be3 Bb7 18.0-0 Qe7 19.Nd1 (Wang Hao-Aronian, Beijing 2014) Rad8 The most natural doubling of the rooks gives Black a decent game. 16.Bg5 16.0-0?? would be too careless. Qc5+ 17.Kh1 b4-+ 16.Be3?! Nd5! A nice tactic uses the undefended e3B. 16...Qe5 17.Be3 Nd5! An excellent sacrifice. The point is to open up the e-file. Black has sufficient counterplay for the sacrificed piece. 18.exd5 cxd5 19.Nd1 d4 20.Bf2 Ba6! 21.f4! The only move to deflect the queen from the dangerous "e" file. Qxf4 22.0-0 Rc8 23.Qd3 Rce8 24.Qf3! Qxf3 25.Bxf3 b4 Black's active pieces compensated for the material deficit, and now he is already winning back some material. Corr games usually turn out an exciting fight ending in draw. :) 26.Rc1 Bxf1 27.Kxf1 a5 28.Rc5 Re5 29.Rc7 R5e7 30.Rc5 Re5 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ronneland,D2413Roques,P2377½–½2015D97Zemitis Memorial email
 

Besides opening surveys, this issue has standard features on tactics, strategy and the endgame. I would single out Jan Markos’ demo lecture on the topic, “How to deal with opening surprises”. Practical advice for the tournament player.

Summing up

The main database of the issue has 618 recent games, of which 20 are deeply annotated. There is much else in this DVD that deserves to be explored. Apart from the GMs I have already mentioned, the commentators include Nikita Vitiugov, Nils Grandelius and Gawain Jones, among others. It may be noted that there are more annotated games in the sections on opening theory and training.

Well, practice makes perfect.

Notes

  1. More information on the Schach Bundesliga ma be garnered from their official site: https://www.schachbundesliga.de/
  2. As is known, Jan-Krzysztof Duda won the online Aimchess Rapid tournament after beating GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in a blitz tiebreak. The database on Aimchess Rapid Tournament in this issue is rather incomplete. The tournament report on the news page shown below can help the reader in finding the rest of the games from the tournament: https://en.chessbase.com/post/aimchess-rapid-2022-d8

It's a great idea to take Grunfeld and King’s Indian players out of their comfort-zone right from the start! Let’s go 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 first and now play 3.h4!?

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Prof. Nagesh Havanur (otherwise known as "chessbibliophile") is a senior academic and research scholar. He taught English in Mumbai for three decades and has now settled in Bangalore, India. His interests include chess history, biography and opening theory. He has been writing on the Royal Game for more than three decades. His articles and reviews have appeared on several web sites and magazines.
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