Albin Counter-Gambit Continued...
Last week we saw how Morozevich used his sharp tactical skills and his creative play to use this opening successfully against strong opposition. This week we shall see how one would normally counter a counter-gambit! The simple rule of thumb when you face a sharp surprise gambit in the opening is to avoid complications.
There are times when I have felt that I can calculate lengthy and complicated variations over the board, so why can't I take up the challenge? And trust me I have learned the answer to that question in harsh ways. Firstly, your opponent is psychologically trying to dent you with such sharp openings, so by taking them to a quiet positional game you already have scored your first point. Secondly, if you have studied the particular opening, then of course you can take up the challenge, but if you haven't then better play it safe. Make the most logical decision and it will hardly ever let you down.
Let us start today's discussion with Van Wely's victory over Morozevich in the same opening; of course Moro had taken his revenge for this and we saw that in our last article. Take one of the sharpest openings and add to that Rapid play-- even with the world's leading chess players, you are bound to see a bunch of errors.
Van Wely, L. (2617) vs. Morozevich, A. (2732)
Amber Rapid | Monte Carlo MNC | Round 6| 26 Mar 2004 | ECO: D09 | 1-0
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. g3 Nge7 6. Bg2 Ng6 7. Bg5 ( 7. O-O Ngxe5 8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. b3 Bc5 10. Bb2 ) 7... Qd7 8. e6 fxe6 9. O-O e5 10. Qa4 ( 10. Bc1 Be7 11. Nbd2 Qf5 12. Ne1 Qh5 13. Nd3 Bh3 14. Ne4 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 O-O-O 16. c5 Qf5 17. f3 h5 18. b4 h4 19. g4 h3+ 20. Kg1 Qe6 21. b5 Nb8 22. Qa4 a6 23. c6 b6 24. Bd2 axb5 25. Qxb5 Qxc6 26. Qb2 Qd5 27. Rfc1 Kd7 28. a4 Nc6 29. Rc2 Rc8 30. Rac1 Na5 31. Bxa5 Qxa5 32. Qb3 Rhf8 33. Rc6 Bd6 34. Nxd6 cxd6 35. Rxc8 Rxc8 36. Rxc8 Kxc8 37. Qe6+ Kc7 38. Qxg6 Qxa4 39. Qf7+ Qd7 40. Qxd7+ Kxd7 41. Kf1 Kc6 42. Ke1 Kd5 43. Kd2 b5 44. Nf2 Kc4 45. Nxh3 ) 10... Bd6 11. Nbd2 h6 12. c5! Bf8 ( 12... Bxc5 13. Qc2! ) 13. Bh4 a5 14. a3 Ra6 ( 14... Nxh4? 15. Nxh4 ) 15. Rfe1 Qf5 16. Rac1 Be7 17. Bxe7 Ngxe7 18. e3 O-O 19. exd4 exd4 20. b4?! ( 20. Qc4+ Kh8 21. Nb3 ) 20... axb4 21. Qb3+ Kh8 22. axb4 b5 23. cxb6 Rxb6 24. Qa3 Qf7 25. Rc5 Nd5?? ( 25... Ba6 ) 26. b5 ( 26. Rxd5! Qxd5 27. b5 ) 26... Ncb4 27. Ne4? ( 27. Re2 d3 28. Ne5 dxe2 29. Nxf7+ Rxf7 30. Rc1 ) 27... Bf5 28. Ne5 Qe7 29. f4?? Bxe4?? ( 29... Nc2 ) 30. Rc4 Nxf4?? ( 30... Bxg2 31. Ng6+ Rxg6 32. Rxe7 Nxf4 33. Qxb4 Bd5 34. Re4 ( 34. Rc1 Nh3# ) 34... Nh3+ 35. Kg2 Bxe4+ 36. Kxh3 Rf5 ) 31. Rxe4 d3 32. Ng6+ Nxg6 33. Rxe7 Nxe7 34. Qxb4 Rd6 35. Rxc7 Nf5 36. Rd7 Rff6 37. Rxd6 Rxd6 38. Bf3 d2 39. Bd1 Rd8 40. Qc5 Nd6 41. Qc7
Our second game today is between Grandmaster Sergey Tiviakov and International Master Joris Brenninkmeijer. The main thing I liked about this game was the simplicity of white's plan and how easily it was executed.
Tiviakov, S. (2618) vs. Brenninkmeijer, J. (2499)
Staunton CC Albin Theme Invitational | Groningen NED | Round 1| 7 Sep 2001 | ECO: D09 | 1-0
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. g3 Be6 6. Nbd2 Qd7 7. Bg2 Be7 ( 7... O-O-O 8. O-O h5 9. Qa4 ) ( 7... Nge7 8. O-O Ng6 9. Qa4 Be7 10. Rd1 ) 8. Qa4 h5 9. Nb3 Rd8 ( 9... O-O-O 10. Ng5! h4 11. Bf4 ) ( 9... d3 10. Nfd4 Nxe5 11. Qxd7+ Bxd7 12. Bxb7 Rb8 13. Bg2 dxe2 14. Kxe2 Nxc4 15. Re1 ) 10. O-O h4 11. Bf4 hxg3 12. fxg3 Bh3 13. Bxh3 Rxh3 14. Rad1 Nh6 15. Nbxd4 Nxd4 16. Qxd7+ Rxd7 17. Nxd4 Ng4 18. Nf3 g5 19. Rxd7 Kxd7 20. Rd1+ Ke8 21. Bxg5 Bxg5 22. Nxg5 Rh6 ( 22... Rxh2?? 23. Rd4 ) 23. Nf3 Ra6 24. a3 Ra4 25. Rc1 Ne3 26. Nd2 Ng4 27. e6 fxe6 28. Rc3 Ke7 29. h3 Ne5 30. Kf2 b6 31. Nf3 Nxc4 32. b3 Nd6 33. Rxc7+ Kd8 34. Rc6
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