Submitted by WGM Natalia_Pogonina on Chess.com
In my recent articles I have touched upon such intricate matters as material imbalances and initiative. Today I would like to share with you annotations to a baffling game of mine played at the Russian Superfinal against GM Tatiana Kosintseva (the chess fight made it to November top-10 best games in the world according to ChessPro). Also, to make the story more challenging, you will be offered a few critical positions to solve on your own.
60th ch-RUS w Moscow RUS (7), 23.11.2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.c4 c6 12.Nc3 b4 13.Na4 c5 14.d5
A closed position with some space advantage for White has occurred (pay attention to the c4-d5-e4 triangle). The b4-c5-d6-e5 chain is relatively vulnerable since the b4 pawn can’t support it. White’s plan is to transfer the knight to d3, where it will be menacing Black’s position and then, depending on the situation, play in the center and on the queenside (a3, double the rooks along the a-file), or in the center and on the kingside (f4); or try both. Black’s mobility is rather limited, and the main idea is to play f5 at some point and play on the kingside. The setup is a bit passive, but very solid and safe.
14...Ne8 15.Bc2 g6 16.Bh6 Ng7 17.a3 a5 18.b3 Rb8 19.Qd2 Kh8 20.Nb2 Nf6 21.axb4 axb4 22.Red1 Ng8 23.Be3 f5 24.Nxe5 dxe5 25.d6 Bf6
White has positionally sacrificed a whole piece for the pawn. Nonetheless, the d6 pawn is a pain in the neck for Black, and Tatiana’s pieces get shoved back to the 8th rank. The c5, e5, and b4 pawns are easy targets, and the White army is just about to take advantage of the open files. Sounds great, but how should White play?
26.d7 [Better is 26.Na4] 26...Bb7 27.Bxc5 Be7?
What should white now do about the dark-squared bishop?
Following the principles of keeping the initiative, I should have sought ways to increase the pressure. White basically has two options – Ba7 and Na4. In the first case the bishop is retreating from the scene and imitating a threat of capturing the Black rook (which actually helps Black improve coordination). Meanwhile, the White knight is out of the game, so I should have brought it into play.
28.Ba7 [Better is 28.Na4] 28...fxe4 29.Na4 Ra8 30.Bb6 Qb8 31.c5? Ne6 32.Qxb4 Nd4 33.Rd2 Nf6?!
After making a mistake, White is on the ropes, and there is just one way to prolong the fight – sacrifice a rook. It is remarkable that a single pawn on d6 is keeping the whole Black army at bay, but even the brave hero can’t be saving the world for too long!
34.Rxd4! the only chance 34...exd4 35.Qxd4 Bc6 36.Rd1 Qf4 37.Nc3 Bxd7? 38.Nd5 Qg5
Once again, White needs to find the only correct move
39.Nxe7 [39.Nxf6?] 39...Bxh3 40.g3 Bg4?! 41.Re1 Bf3 42.Bd1 Bxd1 43.Rxd1 Rae8?
A tactical idea saves White. Moreover, it even leads to an advantage. Black is in trouble after c6.
44.c6! e3 45.Qxe3 Qxe3 46.Bxe3 Rxe7 47.Bc5 Ng8 48.Bd4+? Nf6 49.Bc5 Ng8 50.Bd4+ Nf6 51.Bc5 Ng8 1/2
And now the whole game with annotations:
Pogonina, N. (2472) vs. Kosintseva, T. (2581)
60th ch-RUS w | Moscow RUS | Round 7| 23 Nov 2010 | ECO: C95 | 1/2-1/2
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. c4 c6 12. Nc3 b4 13. Na4 c5 14. d5 Ne8 15. Bc2 g6 16. Bh6 Ng7 17. a3 a5 18. b3 Rb8 ( 18... f5? 19. axb4 axb4 ( 19... cxb4 20. c5 ) 20. Bxg7 Kxg7 21. Nxc5 ) 19. Qd2 Kh8 ( 19... f5 20. exf5 gxf5 21. Ng5 Nf6 22. Ne6!? ) 20. Nb2 Nf6 21. axb4 axb4 22. Red1 ( 22. Nd3 Ng8 23. Nfxe5 dxe5 24. Be3 Qc7 25. Nxe5 ) 22... Ng8 23. Be3 f5 24. Nxe5 dxe5 25. d6 ( 25. Na4? f4 26. Bxc5 Bxc5 27. Nxc5 f3 ) 25... Bf6 26. d7 ( 26. Bxc5 Ne6 27. Ba7 Rb7 28. exf5 gxf5 29. Bxf5 Rg7 ) ( 26. Na4!? Ne6 ( 26... Bd7 27. Bxc5 Bg5 28. Qe1 ) 27. d7 Nd4 ( 27... Bb7? 28. exf5 gxf5 29. Nxc5 Nd4 30. Bxd4 exd4 31. Bxf5 ) ( 27... Bxd7 28. Qxd7 Nd4 29. Qa7 f4 30. Bxd4 cxd4 31. Nc5 ) 28. dxc8=Q Qxc8 29. Bxd4 cxd4 30. Nb2 ) 26... Bb7 27. Bxc5 ( 27. Na4 Rf7 ) 27... Be7? ( 27... Rf7 28. Qd6 ( 28. Na4 Bc6 ) ( 28. Bxb4 Bc6 29. Qd6 Bxd7 30. Ra7 Qe8 31. Bc3 Be6 ) 28... fxe4 29. Bxb4 e3 30. fxe3 Bh4 31. Rd2 Qg5 32. Qxb8 Qxe3+ 33. Kh2 Qg3+ 34. Kg1 Qe3+ ) 28. Ba7 ( 28. Na4! Bxe4 29. Bxe4 fxe4 30. Bxe7 Qxe7 31. c5 ) ( 28. Bxb4 Bxb4 29. Qxb4 Bxe4 30. Qc3 Bxc2 31. Qxc2 Rb7 ) 28... fxe4 29. Na4 ( 29. c5 Bc6 ( 29... Qc7? 30. Nc4 ) 30. Bxb8 ( 30. Nc4 Rb7 31. Nxe5 Qc7 32. d8=Q Bxd8 33. Qd6 Ne7 34. Nxc6 Qxc6 35. Ra6 Qe8 36. Bxe4 Nc8 37. Qxd8 Rxa7 38. Rxa7 Qxd8 39. Rxd8 Rxd8 40. Rb7 ) 31... Qxb8 31. Nc4 Nf6 32. Ra6 Bxd7 33. Rxf6 Rxf6 34. Qxd7 Qf8 35. Nd6 Rxf2 36. Bxe4 Bg5 ) 29... Ra8 ( 29... Qc7 30. Nc5 Bxc5 31. Bxb8 Qxb8 32. d8=Q Bxf2+ 33. Kh2 Qxd8 34. Qxd8 Rxd8 35. Rxd8 ) 30. Bb6 Qb8 31. c5? ( 31. Nc5 Bc6 32. Rxa8 Qxa8 33. Bb1 ( 33. d8=Q? Rxd8 34. Bxd8 Bxc5 ) 34... Qb8 34. Qxb4 Ne6 35. Na6 Qb7 36. Nc5 Qb8 37. Na6 ) 31... Ne6 32. Qxb4 Nd4 33. Rd2 Nf6?! ( 33... Bg5 ) 34. Rxd4! exd4 35. Qxd4 Bc6 36. Rd1 Qf4 ( 36... Bxd7 37. Bxe4 Qf4 38. Bxa8 Qxd4 39. Rxd4 Rxa8 40. Nc3 Ra3 ) 37. Nc3 Bxd7? ( 37... Bd8 38. Nxe4 Bxb6 39. cxb6 Bxe4 40. Re1 Rad8 41. Bxe4 Rxd7 ) 38. Nd5 Qg5 39. Nxe7 ( 39. Nxf6? Bxf6 40. Qxd7 e3 41. c6 ( 41. fxe3 Qxe3+ 42. Kh1 Ra2 ) 42... e2 42. Re1 Ra1 43. Bb1 Qf5 ) 39... Bxh3 40. g3 ( 40. Bxe4 Rae8 ) 40... Bg4?! ( 40... Rf7 41. Bxe4 Re8 42. Bd8 ) ( 40... Rae8 41. Nd5 ( 41. c6 Rxe7 42. Bc5 Rfe8 ) 41... Qxd5 42. Qxd5 Nxd5 43. Rxd5 e3 44. fxe3 Rxe3 ) 41. Re1 Bf3 ( 41... Rae8 42. c6 Bf3 43. Bd1 Rxe7 44. Bc5 ( 44. Bxf3? exf3 45. Rxe7 Qc1+ 46. Kh2 Qf1 ) 44... Ree8 45. Bxf8 Rxf8 46. Bxf3 exf3 47. c7 Qf5 48. Re3 ) 42. Bd1 Bxd1 43. Rxd1 Rae8? ( 43... e3 44. c6 Rfe8 45. Qd6 exf2+ 46. Bxf2 Rad8 47. Qxd8 Rxd8 48. Rxd8+ Kg7 49. Rd1 ) 44. c6 e3 ( 44... Rxe7 45. Bc5 Ref7 46. Bxf8 Rxf8 47. c7 ) 45. Qxe3 Qxe3 46. Bxe3 Rxe7 47. Bc5 Ng8 48. Bd4+? ( 48. c7 Kg7 ( 48... Rc8 49. Bxe7 Nxe7 50. Rd7 ) 49. Rd8 Rxc7 50. Bxf8+ ) 48... Nf6 49. Bc5 Ng8 50. Bd4+ Nf6 51. Bc5 Ng8
No comments:
Post a Comment