Hackery (Pt. 2)

by Jonathan Speelman
11/15/2020 – Star columnist Jon Speelman continues to look at games where hacking (or hackery — the two are more or less interchangeable in his mind) plays a key role. “In a time still dominated by lockdowns we need entertainment, and a blood sport which doesn’t spill real blood seems ideal”, asserts Speelman. | Pictured: Thai Dai Van Nguyen | Photo: iSport.cz
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A few Hackers more

[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]

A fortnight ago, I looked at perhaps the most violent game of my life: a ludicrously messy battle with Tony Miles way back in 1975. Paired with a recent bout of hacking (or hackery — the two are more or less interchangeable in my mind) they formed a small homage to violence in chess. In a time still dominated by lockdowns we need entertainment, and a blood sport which doesn’t spill real blood seems ideal — so I promised some more today.

Most chess is currently of course played online, but there is some over-the-board activity. While I obviously saw them myself online, these two recent examples were both actually contested on over-the-board competitions.  

We begin with a last round-game from the Swedish League in Stockholm.  

 
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1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3
6...c6 With colours reversed in a normal Leningrad Dutch, White would often already be committed to c4, albeit with an extra tempo. Playing c3 as White is quite a promising system against the Leneingrad, and here even a tempo down it works well. 7.e3 7.c3 Qb6+ 8.Kh1!? 8.d4 is of course still possible 8...Ng4 9.Qe1 Ne3 10.Bxe3 Qxe3 11.d4 Bg4 12.Nbd2 f5 is Houdini's idea in this position, though I doubt if I'd play it myself. 13.Rf2 Bxf3 14.Nxf3 14.exf3 Qxe1+ 15.Rxe1 Kf7 16.Nb3 Nd7 17.Rfe2 the e-pawn isn't really weak and I dislike White's kingside pawns. 14...Qe6 15.Ne5 7.Qe1 Qb6+ 8.Kh1 Ng4 9.e3?! 9.Nc3 9...Bxb2! A little while after first seeing this game I played this position as Black at blitz. White replied 7.Nbd2 and I quickly got the advantage against an opponent (I don't know who exactly) whose real rating is apparently in the 2570s. Qb6+ 8.d4 c5 9.e3 Nc6 10.c3 Bf5 11.Re1 Rac8 12.h3 Bd3 13.g4 Ne4 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Ng5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 e6 17.Bd2 Qxb2 18.Nf3 Qa3 19.Qb3 Qa6 20.a4 I've got a big advantage here, but in the end it was drawn: ½- ½ (74) Windivaim (2674) -Jon_Speelman (2605) lichess.org 2020. 7...Qb6 8.Qe2?! 8.Qe1 looks better, to avoid the pin. Nbd7 9.Kh1 Re8 10.e4 e5 11.Nc3 11.f5 11...a5 12.f5 d4 13.Nd1 gxf5 14.Nh4 8...Bg4! 9.Kh1 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 Rfe8 12.a4 12.d4 is of course possible too. c5 13.c3 Ne4 14.Kh2 Rac8 12...a5 13.Qf2 e5 14.fxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Rxe5 16.g4 Re7 9...Nbd7
10.e4 White wants to play this, but it will only work if he can keep the centre closed. dxe4 11.dxe4 e5! 12.Nc3 12.f5 gxf5 simply loses a pawn. 13.h3? Nxe4 12...exf4 13.gxf4 Rae8 Already fully mobilised, Black has an excellent game. 14.e5 Nh5
15.Be3? Again this is what White wants to play, but it's unsurprising that the tactics now favour Black. 15.Ne4 would have led to a terrible mess which should be quite good for Black, though it is very complicated. f6! 16.Nd6 Re7 17.Be3 Qc7 18.Qc4+ Be6 19.Qb4 fxe5 20.Nf5 Ree8 20...Bxf5 21.Qxe7 Bf6 22.Qb4 exf4 is what Black wants to play but maybe 23.Bd4 is okayish for White. 21.Nxg7 Nxg7 22.Nxe5 22.fxe5 Bd5 22.Ng5 Bd5 22...Nf5 23.Bc5 23.Nxd7 Qxd7 24.Bc5 Bd5! 23...Nxc5 24.Qxc5 Qb6
With White's kingside seriously weakened and the knight superb on f5, Black has a clear advantage. 15...Qxb2! 16.Ne4 Here Black thought for just over 25 minutes before playing the move he wanted to: Nxe5! 17.Rab1 If 17.fxe5 Qxe5! is best 18.Nxe5 Bxe2 19.Nd7 Bxf1 19...Rxe4! is actually even better than Bxf1 20.Bxe4 Re8 21.Nc5 Bxa1 22.Rxa1 Nf6 23.Re1 Nxe4 24.Nxe4 Bf3+ 25.Kg1 Bxe4-+ 26.Bxa7 f5 20.Rxf1 Rxe4 20...f5 21.Nxf8 Bxf8 21.Bxe4 Re8 22.Nc5 Bf8 22...b6 23.Nxb7 at least will get a passed a-pawn, though it should be very good for Black. 23.Re1 Bxc5 24.Bxc5 Nf6-+ 23...Rxe4 24.Bxa7 Rb4 25.Nc5 25.Nd8 c5 25...Rb2 26.a4 Rxc2 27.Nd7 Ra2 17...Nxf3! But this was played very quickly. 18.Rxb2
18...Nxh2! With the disappearance of the h2 pawn there are numerous variations in which one of the knights gives check on g3 with murderous effect. 19.Qd3 19.Qf2 Nxf1 20.Bd4 Rxe4 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Bxe4 22.Bxf1 Rxf4 23.Qe1 Rxf1+ 24.Qxf1 Ng3+ 22...Nfg3+ 23.Kg1 Nxe4 24.Qd4+ Nhf6 and the three pieces should win at a canter. 19...Nxf1 20.Bd4 The best chance to sow some confusion. Obviously if Qxf1 there follows Rxe4!, while Rxb7 loses by force: 20.Rxb7 Nxe3 21.Qxe3 Bf5 22.Rb4 22.Kg1 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 Nf6 24.Rb4 c5 25.Rc4 Nxe4 26.Rxe4 Bd4 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Kh2 Bxe4 23.Bxe4 Nf6 24.Rb4 Ng4+ 22...c5 23.Rc4 Bd4 20.Bh3 20.Qxf1 Rxe4 21.Bf2 Rxf4 22.Rxb7 Bd4 23.Bxd4 Ng3+ 24.Kg1 Nxf1 20...Be2! Defending the f1-knight with tempo. In fact Nxf3 also works as engines point out. 20...Nxf4 21.Qxf1 Bxd4 22.Qxf4 22.c3 Nxg2 23.Qxg2 Bf5 24.Ng3 24.Re2 Be5 24...Re1+ 22...Bxb2 23.Qxg4 f5 24.Qg3 fxe4 25.Qb3+ Rf7 26.Qxb2 26.Bh3 e3 27.Be6 e2 28.Bxf7+ Kf8 29.Bxe8 e1Q+ 30.Kg2 Qe2+-+ 26...e3 27.Qb4 e2 28.Qe1 Rd7 21.Qc3 Rxe4
22.Bxg7 22.Bxe4 Nhg3+ 23.Kg2 Nxe4 24.Bxg7 Nxc3 25.Bxf8 25.Bxc3 Ne3+ 25...Kxf8-+ 22...Re3! 23.Qc5 23.Qd4 Nfg3+ 24.Kh2 Nf5 25.Qxe3 Nxe3 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Rxb7 Nxg2 28.Kxg2 Nxf4+ 28...Bb5 29.Kf2 29.Kg3 g5 30.Rxa7 h5 29...a6! 29...Bc4 30.Rxa7 30.Rb4 30...g5 31.a4 h5 32.a5 h4 33.a6 g4 34.Ra8+ 34.Rxf7+ Kxf7 35.a7 g3+ 36.Kf3 36.Ke1 g2 37.Kf2 Ne2 38.Kxg2 Bd5+ 36...Bd5+ 34...Kg7 35.a7 g3+ 36.Kf3 g2 37.Rg8+ Kxg8 38.a8Q+ Kh7 39.Qa7 h3 23.Qxe3 Nxe3 24.Bxf8 Kxf8 25.Rxb7 Nxg2 26.Kxg2 a6 23...Kxg7 24.Kg1
This creates at least some mess in a practical game. 24.Bxf1 Ng3+ 25.Kg1 Nxf1 24...Rfe8! Calmly corodinating the pieces. Engines also like Rg3, but it's much more human to give back a piece to create a huge attack. 24...Rg3 25.Rxb7 25.Bxf1 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 Ng3+ 26...Re1+ 27.Kf2 Nf6 27...R1e2+ 28.Kg1 Rd8 29.Qc3+ Kh6 30.Kf1 Nxf4 28.Qxa7 Ng4+ 29.Kf3 R8e3+ 27.Kg1 27.Kg2 Re2+ 28.Kxg3 R8e3+ 27...Re1+ 28.Kg2 R1e2+! 29.Kg1 29.Kf3 Nf5 29.Kxg3 R8e3+ and White soon gets mated unless he plays Qxe3 30.Kh4 Rh2+ 31.Kg4 h5+ 32.Kg5 Rg3# 29...Nf5 and with the white king almost naked and beset by such a powerful force, it's a lost cause. 30.Rxb7 Otherwise Black can keep his queenside Re1+ forces mate, but a human might well play Rd8, though Qxe3+ and Rb1 is annoying then. 30...Rd8 31.Qc3+ Kg8 32.Kf1 32.Rb1 h5 32...Rxc2! 31.Kg2 R8e2+ 32.Kf3 Nh4+! 33.Kg3 Rg2+ 34.Kxh4 Rh1# 25
Variation starting in Bxf1. 25...Rg3 26.Qd4+ 26.Kf2 Ba6 27.Re7 Rxe7 28.Qxe7 Nh2! 29.Qe5+ Kh6 and with Ng4+ coming it's over. 26...Nf6 26...Kh6! 27.Kf2 Ba6 28.Bxf1 Bxb7 27.Kf2 Re6
Very sensibly defending everybody. At this stage, White had just under 17 minutes left and Black 41 seconds (albeit with a 30 second increment). 28.f5 28.Qxa7 Ng4+ 29.Kg1 Rf6 30.Rb3 Nfe3! 30...Bc4 31.Rxg3 Nxg3 28.Bxc6 was perhaps more confusing, though the simple Rxc6 28...Kh6 29.f5 gxf5 30.Bd5 Ng4+ 31.Ke1 Re5 32.Qxe5 Nxe5 33.Kxe2 Ne3 is also winning of course 29.Kxe2 Ne3 30.Qxa7 Ned5 31.Rxf7+ Kh6 32.Kf2 Rgc3 and Black would prefer not to have had to move his king out, but will obviously soon give mate anyway. 28...gxf5 29.Bxf1 Rf3+ 30.Kg2 Rxf1 31.Qxa7 Nh5
32.Qd4+ 32.Rxf7+ Kg6 32...Kg8 33.Rxh7 Rg6+ 34.Kh2 Rf2+ 35.Kh3 Rg3+ 36.Kh4 33.Rxh7 looks more confusing to me, but Black would probably have found Kg5! 33...Nf4+? 34.Kh2 is apparently now only a draw. 34.Qf7 Nf4+ 35.Kh2 Rf2+ 36.Kg1 Rg2+ 37.Kh1 Bf3 38.Qg7+ Rg6 39.Qe7+ Rf6 40.Qe3 40.Rg7+ Ng6 41.Qe3+ Kg4 and without his pawns White could draw by stalemate, but here he'd be dead. 40...Be4 32...Kh6 32...Kg6 was winning as well, but he wants to put the rook there. 33.Rxf7 Rg6+ 34.Kh2 Bf3 35.Qd2+ f4
The end of a terrific battle. 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Hauge,L2493Solodovnichenko,Y25740–12020A03Elitserien 2019/2020, round 7-93.9

Yuri Solodovnichenko

Yuri Solodovnichenko 

We move on to the Tegernsee Masters in Germany, an initially ten-player all-play-all which Vincent Keymer had to leave after a schoolmate caught the Coronavirus. Alexander Donchenko won the resultant nine-player tournament, and like the blood fest in Sweden above, this explosive battle was played in the final round.

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 0-0 9.0-0 b5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.e4 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nd4 Neg4 14.Nf5!? 14.g3 is normal as you might expect. and there are numerous top games with this Re8 15.Nf5 Bc5 16.Bf4 Qb6 17.Kg2 g6 18.h3 Ne5 19.Nh6+ Kg7 20.Bg5 Bd4 21.Bxf6+ Kxf6 22.f4 Nc4 23.Bxc4 bxc4 24.f5 c5 25.fxg6+ Kxg6 26.Nxf7 Rf8 27.Nd5 Qxb2 28.Ne7+ Kg7 29.Nf5+ Kg6 30.Ne7+ Kg7 31.Nf5+ Kg6 32.Ne7+ 1/2-1/2 (32) Nakamura,H (2790)-Giri,A (2793) Moscow RUS 2016 14...Bxh2+ 15.Kh1
The h pawn is a serious one to sacrifice but the white knight is potentially very threatening on f5. 15...g6?! 15...Bb8 16.f3 Qc7 17.g3 Nh5! 18.f4 Nhf6 19.Bf3 c5 20.Nd5 is very unclear 20.Nxb5 Qd7 21.Nc3 Nxe4 22.Bxe4 Qxf5 20...Qd8 16.f3 gxf5 17.fxg4
17...Bc7?! It's nice to set up a possible Qd6 but it was better on e5 shoring up the f6 knight. 17...Be5 18.Rxf5 Re8 19.Bh6? 19.Bg5 Bc8 20.Raf1? is what White wants to play, but the blockade on e5 and f6 holds, so it doesn't work. Bxf5 21.Rxf5 Qd6 19.Bf4 Bxf4 20.Rxf4 Nd7 21.Rf5 21.e5 c5 22.Bf3 Qh4+ 23.Kg1 Qg5 24.Rf5 Qe3+ 25.Kh1 Bxf3 26.gxf3 Rxe5 21...Qh4+ 22.Kg1 Ne5 23.Raf1 Qh6 19...Nxe4 17...Nxg4 18.Bxg4 fxg4! 18...Qh4? 19.Bh3 Be5 20.Qf2+- 19.Rf5 Bc7 19...Qh4? 20.Bg5 18.Bg5?! 18.Rxf5 Bc8 19.Rg5+ Kh8 20.Be3 Bb6 21.Bf4 Rg8± Houdini says ±. White must avoid Rf1? 21...Bc7 22.Bxc7 Qxc7 23.e5 h6 24.exf6 hxg5 25.Qd3 Kg8 26.Qh3 22.Rd1 22.Rf1 Nxg4 22...Qf8 23.Rxg8+ Nxg8 24.Bf3 24.Nb1 Qc5 25.Qxc5 Bxc5 26.Nd2 18...h6 19.Rad1 19.e5 hxg5 20.Qxf5
Looks good but Black has a beautiful way to survive: 20...Nh5‼ 21.gxh5 Bc8 22.Qe4 Qe8 23.Rae1 23.Bd3? f5 23...Qxe5 24.Qxe5 Bxe5 25.Bf3 Black is at least equal. 19...Qe7 20.Qc1 Rfd8
21.Nd5 This splendid move jettisons the knight to keep an extra rook on the board. 21.Rxf5 Rxd1+ 22.Bxd1 hxg5 23.Qxg5+ Kf8 24.Bb3 Nd5 24...c5 25.Nxb5 Qxe4 26.Qh6+ Ke8 27.Nxc7+ Kd7 28.Ba4+ Qxa4 28...Kxc7 29.Qh2+! Kb6 30.Rxf6+ Ka5 31.Qc7+ Kxa4 32.Rf4 29.Rxf6 Rg8 30.Rxf7+ Kc8 31.Qe6+ Kb8 32.Qe5 Bxg2+ 33.Kh2 Qe4 25.Qh5 Ke8 26.e5! Rd8 26...Bc8 27.Bxd5 Bxf5 28.gxf5 Qxe5? 28...cxd5 29.Nxd5 Qxe5 30.Nxc7+ Qxc7 31.Qh8+ Ke7 32.Qxa8 Qc1+ 33.Kh2 Qh6+= 29.Qxf7+ Kd8 30.Qf8+ 27.Ne4 Qe6 28.Rf6 Nxf6 29.Qh8+ Kd7 30.Bxe6+ fxe6 31.Nc5+ Kc8 32.Qxf6 21...cxd5 22.Rxf5? Of course this is what he wanted to play, but it shouldn't work and instead 22 Bxf6 would have led to a diferent middlegame. 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.Qxc7 Qb6 24.Qxb6 axb6 25.exf5 22...Nxe4? Cracking under the pressure. It turns out that Be5 was actually good for Black. 22...Be5! 23.Bh4 23.Rdf1 Rac8 24.Bxf6 24.Qe3 d4 25.Qh3 d3 26.Bd1 Rd6 24...Qxf6! 25.Qe1 Rc1 26.Rxf6 Rxe1 23...Bc8 24.Rf2 24.Qxh6 Bxf5 25.exf5 25.gxf5 dxe4 26.Qg5+ 26.Re1 26...Kh7! 25...Qf8 24...Qd6 25.Bxf6 Bxf6 26.Rxd5 Qg3 27.Qxh6 Qh4+ 28.Qxh4 Bxh4 29.Rxd8+ 23.Bxe7 Ng3+ 24.Kh2!
Presumably Black had missed that, because the queen is attacking the c7 bishop, this wins material. 24...Rd7 25.Rg5+ Kh7 26.Bd3+ f5 26...Ne4+ 27.Kh3 Rxe7 28.Rh5 27.Kh3 Rxe7 28.Bxf5+ Nxf5 29.Rxf5 Rae8 30.Rdf1 Be5 31.Rxe5 A maelstrom of a game in which both player's heads must have been swimming. Both made decent decisions until near the very end when 22 Rxf5?! was very plausible but wrong and 22...Nxe4 a decisive blunder. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nguyen,T2571Mendonca,L24991–02020D45Tegernsee Masters9

On this DVD Dorian Rogozenco, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh and Karsten Müller present the 8. World Chess Champion in video lessons: his openings, his understanding of chess strategy, his artful endgame play, and finally his immortal combinations.

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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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