India's chess high fliers
Aeroflot Open action, and how Michael Adams drew with Anand in Baden-Baden
4:05PM GMT 14 Feb 2013
Comment
The Indian contingent are again ensuring the Russians don’t dominate at the Aeroflot Rapid Qualifier, but one of their number had a narrow escape here. This old line from the 1920s, popular in the 1970s, is given a new lease of life with White’s rare ninth move.
K. Kostin - K. Sasikiran
Aeroflot Open Rapid Qualifier
English Opening
Aeroflot Open Rapid Qualifier
English Opening
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nb4 6.Bc4 Be6 7.Bxe6 Nd3+ 8.Kf1 fxe6 9.Qb3 Qd7 10.Ng5 Nc6 11.Qxe6 0–0–0 12.Qxd7+ Rxd7 13.Nd5 Nd4 14.h4 e6 15.Ne3 h6 16.Nf3 Be7 (16...Nxf3 17.gxf3 Be7 must be good for Black, it’s so hard for White to unravel) 17.Ne1 c4 18.Nxd3 cxd3 19.b3 Nc2 20.Nxc2 dxc2 21.a3 Rhd8 22.Ke2 Rd4 23.f3 Rd3 24.b4 (24.Ra2! Rxb3 25.Rxc2+ Kb8 26.Bb2 was a safe extra pawn)24...R3d6 25.Ra2 Rc6 26.Bb2 g5 (After 26...Bxh4!? 27.Rxh4 c1Q 28.Bxc1 Rxc1, White is a pawn up, so Black sets a trap) 27.hxg5(27.Rc1 gxh4 28.Be5 Rg8 29.Kf2 would give excellent winning chances)27...Bxg5 28.Bc3??
England number one Michael Adams held world champion Vishy Anand to a draw in the sixth round at Baden-Baden. Adams sacrificed two pawns for counterplay and regained them both with a comfortable position:
V. Anand - M. Adams
Ruy Lopez
Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 0–0 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 c5 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Bxd5 Bb7 13.b4 (The bishop on e7 is passive, but Black has good play after 13.Bxb7 Nxb7 14.c4 bxc4 15.dxc4 Na5 16.Qd3 Qb6 17.Nd2 Rab8) 13...Bxd5 14.exd5 Nb7 15.c3 Qc7 16.Re1 f5 17.Bg5 Rae8 18.a4 cxb4 19.cxb4 Bxg5 20.Nxg5 Nd8 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qd2 h6 23.Nf3 Qf7 24.Qa2 Qf6 25.Nd2 Nf7 26.Qa6 e4! 27.dxe4 fxe4 28.Qxb5 (28.Nxe4 Qd4 29.Ng3 Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Qxb4 =)
28...e3! 29.fxe3 Rxe3 30.Qb6 Rxe1+ 31.Rxe1 Qc3 32.Qe3 (32.Re2 Qa1+ 33.Nf1 Ne5 = 34.Rf2 Rxf2 35.Qxf2 Nc4) 32...Qxb4 33.Nf3 Qc5 34.Qxc5 dxc5 35.Re7 Rd8 36.Ne5 Nxe5 37.Rxe5 Kf7 38.d6 c4 39.Re7+ Kf6 40.Rc7 Rxd6 41.Rxc4 draw
Answer:
Rxc3 29.dxc3 Rd2+ 0–1
Rxc3 29.dxc3 Rd2+ 0–1
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