It is never very pretty…
We all experience defeat from time to time and so we should not be too surprised when it happens. Even so, some defeats are more painful that others. Especially those times when defeat seems inevitable right from the first moves…
The following two games were played this week at the Russian Team Championship in Sochi. Each is a quick but painful and well deserved defeat.
Game One
gm Khairullin,I – im Musalov,R Sochi 20.11.2020 1-0
This is a game where Black, the experienced 44-year old Ruslan Musalov international master (Elo 2350), unwisely decides to vary from his usual move order in his favourite Berlin Defence so as to try to surprise his younger opponent.
Grandmaster Ildar Khairullin, 30 years old (Elo 2620), was not surprised and knew exactly how to play the opening. Quickly he got the upper hand and soon Black’s position became desperate.
White scored a crushing defeat that Black will not likely forget for some time to come…CRASH and BURN!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Berlin, Musalov’s favourite line with Black against the Spanish Opening. Infact, it is the only line that he plays against the Spanish!</strong>} 4.d3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Probably the most popular way to avoid the main lines</strong>} Ne7$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Or perhaps this strange move deserves a ‘?!’ instead. I don’t like this move as it seems to violate the general opening principles without really gaining anything in return. However, I do recall that my friend, the late Tony Miles, thought highly of it. The idea seems to be to transfer the Knight to the g6 square, and it sets a small trap for his opponent. </strong>} 5.Bc4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Unfortunately for Musalov, his opponent knows the strongest continuation recommended by the books. It turns out that the f7 square can be a headache for Black in many lines here</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It is worth mentioning the trap: </strong> } 5.Nxe5? c6 6.Ba4
Qa5+{<strong style="color:black;">winning a piece </strong> } )
c6 6.Nc3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Renewing the threat to capture on e5</strong>} Ng6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 6...d5$6 7.exd5 cxd5 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.Nxe5 )
7.d4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Once more White plays the strongest move according to the theoreticians. It is clear that Musalov’s 4th move was hardly a surprise to his opponent…</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Also strong is </strong> } 7.h4 h5 8.Ng5! )
b5?!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Too ambitious, but I suppose that Black did not like his position already and felt the need to take drastic steps.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It is known that </strong> } 7...Bb4 8.Nxe5! Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nxe4 10.O-O!{<strong style="color:black;">is very good for White. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">Probably the safest way for Black to play is </strong> } 7...exd4$5 8.Qxd4 b5 9.Be2 Qb6 {<strong style="color:black;">as in Tiviakov – Ivanisevic , Crete 30/10/2007 Ch Europe, but that would mean accepting to play a slightly inferior ending. </strong> }
)
8.dxe5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This precise move leads by force to a big edge for White</strong>} bxc4 9.exf6 Qxf6 10.Bg5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qe6 11.O-O{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Summing things up, White has a solid lead in development, while Black must worry not just about his pawn on c4, but also watch out for the coming Nd4 followed by the advance of his f-pawn.</strong>} f6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 12.Be3 Ne5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I feel the impulse to criticize Black’s plan, but the truth is that there is no good way to play Black’s position. He is simply lost against correct play, so he tries to create some possibilities on the King side.</strong>} 13.Nd4
Qg4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black would not mind trading Queens, but now White is not interested</strong>} 14.Qd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bb4 ( 14...c5 15.f3! ) 15.f4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">From this point on, everything that White does is up the board</strong>} Nf7 16.Rf3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Activating the Rook along the 3rd rank</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">There are plenty for good alternatives, for example: </strong> } 16.a3 Ba5
( 16...Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Ba6 18.Nf5 ) 17.Nf5$5 )
({<strong style="color:black;">Or the simple </strong> } 16.Rae1 {<strong style="color:black;">followed by a quick e5 push </strong> })
Nd6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This Knight looks for better pastures.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> One quick way to lose is</strong> } 16...O-O$6 17.Rg3 Qh5 18.Nf5! g6 19.Rh3 Qg4 20.Rh4! )
17.e5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">With Black’s King in the center, this move is very strong.</strong>} Nf5{<strong style="color:black;"> </strong> }
( 17...Ne4 18.Qe2! Bxc3 19.bxc3 O-O 20.Qxc4+ )
18.exf6! gxf6 19.Qe2{[#]<strong style="color:black;"> White has not forgot about the c-pawn dangling on c4</strong> }
( 19.Re1$5 ) Nh4{[#]<strong style="color:black;"> Black finally has a real threat! Unfortunately, it does not work…</strong> } 20.Bf2+ Kd8 21.Bxh4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">With the Knight gone, Black will simply have no more threats</strong>} Qxh4 22.Rd1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Emphasizing the precarious situation of the Black King. The game does not last very long now…</strong>} ( 22.Qxc4$5 ) Kc7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There is no good hiding place for the King.</strong>}
23.Qxc4 Ba5 24.Nd5+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kb7 25.Nf5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">What impressive Knights! Here Black threw in the towel. He can not avoid losing a lot of material. For example: </strong>} Qh5 26.Qc5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Eyeing the Black Queen on h5 and setting up some tactics</strong>} Qxf5 ( 26...Bb6 27.Nxb6
axb6 28.Nd6+ ) 27.Rb3+ Bb6 28.Rxb6+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">And mate next move!</strong>} 1-0
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Game Two
gm Sarana,A – gm Yuffa,D Sochi 26.11.2020 0-1
Twenty-year old grandmaster Alexy Sarana (Elo 2654) decides to vary from his usual opening repetoire as early as move 3(!) and it soon becomes clear that he is in way over his head! Castling Queenside, his own King soon becomes trapped.
His opponent, 23-year old grandmaster Daniil Yuffa, demonstrates with great zeal what can happen when your opponent is not adequately prepared. OUCH!
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Of course, there is nothing wrong with this move (!), but when one usually plays 3.Nf3 here (88 times) and knows virtually nothing about the theory of the Nimzo Indian, there might be problems somewhere down the road</strong>} Bb4 4.Qc2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Considered the most solid way for White to proceed.
In fact, Sarana played it ONE other time before, and lost!</strong>} O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 d5 7.Bg5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Playing with fire.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Safer to develop his Kingside pieces</strong> } 7.Nf3 {<strong style="color:black;">and to try to castle short. </strong> } )
c5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Yuffa, sensing that his opponent does not know theory, plays the sharpest way and provokes complications.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">More common is </strong> } 7...dxc4 8.Qxc4 b6 {<strong style="color:black;"> but it is too solid for Yuffa today! </strong> } )
8.dxc5 d4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This sharp move leads to really wild positions. Black often is a pawn or two down, but has the initiative in the centre. The Ukrainian masters have spent a lot of time investigating this line from Black’s point of view.</strong>} 9.Qg3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Natural, but this does not have a good reputation, despite the fact that Morozovich played it successfuly twice — but both times in blitz games! Better to retreat the Queen to c2.</strong>} Nbd7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 10.O-O-O{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is going to regret this move. Optically White seems to have an attacking game, but he has no development!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Praxis has shown that </strong> } 10.Bh6 Ne8! 11.b4 a5!{<strong style="color:black;">is everything that Black wants from the opening. </strong> } )
Nxc5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Also logical is </strong> } 10...e5$5 )
11.Qe5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">This is Sarana’s idea. </strong>}
( 11.Bh6 Ne8 )
b6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Planning the simple, but strong, Ba6 and Rc8 with attack</strong>} 12.Nf3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Obviously he can capture the d-pawn immediately</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Less than useless is </strong> } 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Qg3+ Kh8 {<strong style="color:black;">when White has no attack against the Black King </strong> })
( {<strong style="color:black;">He might consider </strong> }12.b4$5 Ncd7 13.Qxd4{<strong style="color:black;"> but after </strong> } Qc7!{<strong style="color:black;">Black will soon find a way to open up lines against the White King </strong> } )
Ba6 13.Nxd4 Bxc4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Turning up the heat!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Under other circumstances Black might consider the safer </strong> } 13...Nfd7$5 14.Bxd8 Nxe5 15.Bh4 Nxc4 {<strong style="color:black;">with a nice position, but Yuffa smells blood and is not interested in exchanging Queens. </strong> } )
14.e3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A quick way to lose would be </strong> } 14.Nxe6? Nb3+ 15.Kc2 Bxe6! 16.Rxd8 Rfxd8{<strong style="color:black;"> with a winning attack. The coming Rc8 will be decisive.</strong> } )
Ba2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This move prevents the White King from hiding in the corner</strong>} 15.Nc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White was counting on this, but as we will soon see, Black can just ignore it!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">According to the computer, the only way to try to save the game is with the brave </strong> }15.b4$5 Rc8 16.Bxf6 ( 16.Kb2 Na4+! ) Na4+ 17.Kd2 gxf6
18.Qg3+ Kh8 19.Ba6 Rc3 20.Rc1{<strong style="color:black;">when White can defend successfuly </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">The exchange </strong> } 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Qg3+ Kh8{<strong style="color:black;">does nothing to improve White’s chances. </strong> } )
Nb3+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 16.Kc2 Rc8!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Very pretty!</strong>}
( 16...Qe8$5 17.Bb5
Rc8! {<strong style="color:black;">is similar to what later happens in the game continuation </strong> })
17.Bb5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">A sad necessity, but not good enough to hold the game together.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It must have been painful for White to realize that </strong> } 17.Rxd8 Rxc6+ 18.Kd3 Rxd8+ 19.Ke2 Rc2+{<strong style="color:black;">is not just absolutely hopeless, but also very embarrassing! </strong> } )
Qe8 18.Rd6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">All of White’s pieces are on the wrong squares, but the Knight needs to be defended, if only temporarily</strong>}
Nd7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">It is becoming clear that White will soon lose a piece</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Another convincing line is </strong> } 18...Ng4$5 19.Qc3 f6 20.Bh4 Ne5 21.f4 Nxc6 22.Bxc6 Qh5! {<strong style="color:black;"> and the White King will find no peace</strong> } )
19.Qg3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Returning to this square, hoping that the Queen will have better luck the second time around!</strong>} ( 19.Qe4 Nbc5 20.Qf3 f6! ) f6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I find this move rather sadistic! It seems that White is losing on both sides of the board…</strong>} 20.Bh6 ( 20.Bh4 Nb8! ) Rf7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The end of White’s ‘attack’</strong>}
21.Kd1 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Desperation. White tries to slip his King out of the pins along the c-file.</strong>}
( 21.Rhd1 Ndc5! 22.Qf3 Nb7 23.R6d3 a6!{<strong style="color:black;"> winning material and the game</strong> } )
Kh8$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Good enough</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Even simpler is </strong> }21...Ne5!
22.Nxe5 Qxb5 23.Nxf7? Rc1# )
22.Bc4 Nf8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black, for some reason, wants to enjoy himself</strong>}
( 22...Rxc6$5 23.Rxc6 Ne5
24.Bb5 Qd8+! )
23.Bb5 a6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Winning the piece. White rsigned. After</strong>} 24.Ba4 b5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">there is nothing to be done. Material down and a King floating about in the centre, it is beyond hope.</strong>} 0-1
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