Today at 5 pm (Spanish time) will begin the final round of the 2020 Spanish Team Championship Honor Division held at Hotel Anibal in Linares.
The team of Alexi Shirov (Silla-Bosch) is in the lead by one point with 9 pts, followed by Andreu Paterna with 8 points. Should be an exciting finish, but Silla-Bosch has the easier final round.
Some Interesting Chess
im Gonzales de la Torre,S – gm Arizmendi,J Linares 27.9.2020 (1-0)
This game just goes to make the point that you can never let your guard down, no matter how good your position is. After a creative opening on the part of both sides, Arizmendi emerged with a pawn extra and a clear advantage.
White had only one trick to play for in the position, and the thing is that Arizmendi saw it, but blundered, overlooking the loss of a piece. It can happen to the best of them…
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6 7.Nf3
f5 8.Nc3 a6 9.g3 b5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.O-O b4 12.Ne2 Nd7 13.c4 bxc3
14.Nxc3 O-O 15.d5 Nc5 16.Qd4 exd5 17.Nh4 Bxh4 18.gxh4 Ne4 19.Nxe4
dxe4 20.Qc3 Qxh4 21.Kh1$17{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White has nothing better than hoping to get in Rg1 and attack the Black King.</strong>} (21.Qxc7 Rab8! 22.Qg3+ Qxg3 23.fxg3 Bc8$15) Rfe8??{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Arizmendi sees the threat, but completely overlooks the obvious…</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Correct is </strong> } 21...h6! 22.Rg1 Kh7 23.Qxc7 Rab8! {<strong style="color:black;"> And Black should eventually win</strong> } )
22.Rg1 Kf8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The idea of Black’s last move, but already there is nothing better</strong>} 23.Qb4+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black missed that his Bishop is enprise. Such is chess!</strong>} 1-0
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gm Naiditsch,A – gm Socko,B
Grandmaster Naiditsch is a brilliant attacker who is capable of defeating any player in the world on any given day. In this game, however, everything goes wrong for Naiditsch.
He gets nothing out of the opening, insists on playing for an attack anyway, weakens his position unnecessarily and then sticks his head in the lion’s mouth…who, of course, bites it off.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5{<strong style="color:black;">A specialty of Naiditsch </strong> } Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.b3$5{<strong style="color:black;">Never considered a dangerous line for Black, but how else to defend the b-pawn? </strong> } Nc6
8.O-O cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bc5 11.Bb2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">All of this has been seen numerous times before. Black has no problems developing</strong>} Ne7$6 (11...a6! 12.Nc3 Qc7) 12.Nc3 O-O 13.Na4$14{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Qc7 14.Rc1 Rfd8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Still all known from previous praxis</strong>} 15.Qd2$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The curious thing is that this plan is known to be inferior for White. Either Naiditsch did not know or he did not agree with that assessment.</strong>}
(15.Nxc5! Qxc5 16.Qd4! {<strong style="color:black;">and if anyone is better it is White! </strong> })
Rac8 16.g4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Wow! Naiditsch is determined to create attacking chances, even if he weakens his game in the process.</strong>}
(16.Nxc5 Qxc5 17.Bd4 Qa3!)
Be4$5 (16...Bg6! 17.b4$5 Bb6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.b5 d4!$13) 17.c4$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White loses his head!</strong>}
(17.b4$5 Bb6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.a3$5 {<strong style="color:black;">is more reliable </strong> } )
dxc4 ({<strong style="color:black;">Black is also better after </strong> } 17...d4!? 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.b4 Qc7 20.f3 d3!$17 )
18.Qf4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bd5! 19.Bxc4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Black is also happy after</strong> } 19.Nxc5 Qxc5 20.bxc4 Qb4 21.Bc3 Qa3!)
Qa5$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Good enough to stay on top, but there was stronger.</strong>}
(19...Bb4!$17 20.a3 (20.Bxd5 Nxd5$17) Ng6! 21.Qe3 Bd2!)
20.Nxc5 Qxc5 21.Bd3 Qa5 22.Bb1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Attacking in the wrong direction! But there is little better at this point. White’s plan has really backfired.</strong>} Ng6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">From here on to the end of hte game, Black dominates.</strong>} 23.Qe3 Rxc1 24.Rxc1 Bc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">With obvious ideas…</strong>}
25.Bc3 Qd5 26.f3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">there is nothing better</strong>} Qxf3 27.Qxf3 Bxf3 28.g5 Nf4 29.Kf2 Bc6 30.h4
Rd3 31.Rc2 Be4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Some days it is better not to get out of bed…</strong>} 0-1
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gm Naiditsch,A – gm Anton,D Linares 27.9.2020(1-0)
This game might look like a chess game, but I have my doubts. It is crazy, exciting, violent, unpredictable and at times absolutely brilliant. Both sides make mistakes. The result: a whole lot of fun for the spectators! Below I try to make a bit of sense out of it…
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 Bc5 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.O-O{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A well known position. There are dozens and dozens of games with this move order…</strong>}
Qe7 8.Nbd2 Ng4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Unusual, but not unknown. It is very risky. Most masters prefer to play simpler, but I suppose on this day Anton was given orders by his team captain to play for a win…</strong>} 9.h3 h5 10.Nc4 ({<strong style="color:black;"> Of course, it is very dangerous to take the piece.</strong> }) f6 11.Nh4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Still all known.</strong>} Qf7
( 11...Rh7$6 12.hxg4
hxg4 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 O-O-O 15.Re1 ( 15.Qxg4? Rdh8 16.g3 Rh1+
17.Kg2 R8h2+ 18.Kf3 Rxf1 ) e4 ( 15...Rdh8 16.Kf1 ) 16.Be3 Bb4
17.c3 exd3 18.Qxg4 d2 19.Nxd2 Rdh8 20.g3 Bc5 21.Nf3 Bxe3 22.Rxe3
Qd7 23.Rae1 Qd5 24.Re8+ Rxe8 25.Rxe8+ Kd7 26.Re1 Qxa2 27.c4 Qxb2
28.Qe4 {1-0, Nikitin Aleksander S (RUS) 2400 – Davis 5 , Reykjavik 1957 Olympiad (students) (team)}
)
12.hxg4$6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Playing with fire!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Better to follow the known track and get a complex game with chances for both sides: </strong> } 12.Nf5! Bxf5 ( 12...g6 13.hxg4 hxg4 14.Ng3 Qh7
15.Re1 ) 13.exf5 g5
( 13...Nh6 14.Bxh6 ( 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.fxe3
e4 ) Rxh6 15.Nd2 ( 15.Qf3 O-O-O 16.Rae1 $13 ) O-O-O 16.Qf3 Rg8
( 16...g5 17.fxg6 Rxg6 18.Kh1 Rdg8 ) 17.Ne4 Be7 ( 17...Bb6 {!} )
18.Qe3 Kb8 19.f4 exf4 20.Qxf4 $13 h4 ( 20...Rhh8 ) 21.b3 Qd5
22.Rae1 Qa5 23.a4 Re8 24.Kh1 Rd8 25.Re2 Bb4 26.Qg4 Rd7 27.Rf4
Ba3 28.Qf3 Bb2 29.Nd2 Qd5 30.Re8+ Ka7 31.Rfe4 Be5 32.Nc4 Bg3
33.a5 c5 34.R8e6 Rh8 35.Ne3 {1-0, Ermenkov Evgenij (PLE) – Barle Janez (SLO), 1970 EU-ch U20 fin-A}
)
( 13...O-O-O! ) 14.hxg4 hxg4 15.Re1 Qh7 16.Kf1 Qxf5
( 16...Qh1+ 17.Ke2 Qxg2 18.Be3 ) 17.Ne3 ( 17.Be3 {!} ) Bxe3 18.Bxe3
O-O-O 19.f3 {??} ( 19.Ke2 {!} ) e4 {!} 20.Bg1 ( 20.dxe4 Rh1+
21.Kf2 Rxd1 ) exf3 21.Re4 Rh1 22.gxf3 gxf3 23.Kf2 g4 24.Qf1 g3+
25.Ke3 f2 26.Qg2 fxg1=Q+ 27.Rxg1 Rxg1 28.Qxg1 Qc5+ 29.d4 Qxc2
30.Qxg3 Qxb2 31.Qg7 Qa3+ 32.Kf4 Qxa2 33.Qxf6 Qf2+ {0-1, Shilov – Zaitsev Igor A RUS, Moscow 1967}
)
( 12.Qe2 {<strong style="color:black;">Was tried once, but did not impress </strong> } g5 13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 O-O-O 15.g3 h4 16.Kg2 Nxf2
17.g4 Qd5+ 18.Kh2 e4 19.Rxf2 exd3 20.cxd3 Rhe8 21.Qf3 Bxf2 22.Qxf2
Qxd3 23.Ne3 Rd4 24.a4 Rc4 25.Qd2 Rxe3 {0-1, Volkevich 1 – Zaitsev Igor A (RUS) 2520 , URS 1968}
)
hxg4 13.g3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has excellent chances here. I am surprised that Naiditsch — a well known attacker — would want to defend this position! That he succeeds in doing so against such a strong grandmaster as Anton has nothing to do with either skill or luck. It is nothing short of a miracle!</strong>} Be6$6
({<strong style="color:black;">Too slow! Black is simply better after the natural </strong> } 13...g5! 14.Nxe5!{<strong style="color:black;">Only move </strong> }
( 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 Qh7 )
14...fxe5 15.Bxg5 Rh5! (15...Qg7$5) 16.Be3 Be7 17.Kg2 Be6 {<strong style="color:black;">And it is not clear how White should play since Black will simply castle and double his Rooks along the h-file. </strong> } )
14.Be3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now White should be able to defend successfully.</strong>} g5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 14...Bxe3 15.fxe3 Qh5 16.Kf2!
g5 17.Ng2! )
15.Bxc5! gxh4 16.Ne3$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The beginning of not just a bad plan, but a complete waste of time. The Knight manoeuvre that Naiditisch makes should lose here.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">There is a clever way for White to solve his problems and get the upper hand: </strong> } 16.Kg2! Bxc4 ( 16...Qh7 17.Qe2! hxg3 18.Rh1!$18 ) 17.dxc4 Qxc4 18.Qxg4! Qxc5 19.Rad1 Qe7 20.Rh1$16 )
({<strong style="color:black;"> The same thing as above can start with </strong> } 16.Qe2$5 Qh7 17.Kg2 hxg3 18.Rh1 )
O-O-O {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has enormous compensation for the piece. One can only admire Naiditsch’s self-confidence in wanting to defend the White pieces here.</strong>}
17.Ng2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Naiditsch’s plan. He hopes that the Knight will defend his King.</strong>}
( 17.Nxg4? Qg6 18.f3 hxg3 19.Kg2 Bxg4 20.fxg4 Rh2+ 21.Kxg3
Qh6 )
( 17.Kg2 f5! 18.exf5 {?} Bd5+$19 )
b6$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Unnecessarily pushing the Bishop to a better square!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">How does White defend after the natural and strong </strong> } 17...hxg3! 18.fxg3 Rh3!
19.Kf2 f5! )
18.Be3 f5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I think this is one of those positions where both sides are happy, even the side that should not be!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Now not recommended is </strong> } 18...hxg3 19.fxg3 Rh3 20.Bg5! Qh5
( 20...Rxg3 21.Bxf6 ) 21.Bh4{<strong style="color:black;">And White defends successfully </strong> } )
19.exf5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The position is too much for both players.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">I don’t see a refutation of </strong> } 19.Nxh4! f4 20.Kg2 f3+
( 20...Qf6 21.Rh1! ) 21.Kh2 Qf6 22.Rh1 c5 23.Qd2 Rh5 24.b4 Rdh8
25.Kg1 )
Bd5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I think that Naiditsch might have overlooked this move</strong>} 20.Nxh4 Qxf5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Pretty, but no cigar!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Missing the forced win: </strong> } 20...Qf6!! 21.Re1
( 21.Qxg4 Rdg8 ) Rxh4 22.gxh4 Qxh4 {<strong style="color:black;">etc </strong> } )
21.f3!{[#]<strong style="color:black;">Forced, but amazingly now White is able to not just defend but win with his extra material! </strong> }
( 21.Ng2 Rh3 )
Qe6{[#]}
( 21...Rxh4 22.gxh4 gxf3 23.Kf2 Qg4 24.Bg5! )
22.fxg4 Rdg8 23.Nf5
( 23.c4$5 ) c5{[#]}
( 23...Rh1+ 24.Kf2 Rh2+ 25.Ke1 )
24.c4 Bb7 25.Rc1
Kb8 26.Rc2 Rh1+ 27.Kf2 Rgh8 28.Ke1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now, despite Black’s initiative, White has more than enough pieces in play to resist. I will not give any more comments…according to the computer Black did not miss anything in the game continuation. Simply (not so simple!) White’s defence emerges victorious. Crazy game!</strong>}
Qc6 29.Rcf2 Rxf1+ 30.Rxf1
Rh2 31.Bf2 e4 32.b3 exd3 33.Qxd3 Qf6 34.Kd2 Ka7 35.Qc3 Qg5+ 36.Ne3
Bg2 37.Bg1 Rh1 38.Re1 Be4 39.Kc1 Rh3 40.Kb2 Kb7 41.Nd5 Bxd5 42.cxd5
Qxd5 43.Qe3 a5 44.Qe4 Qxe4 45.Rxe4 Rxg3 46.Be3 Kc6 47.g5 Kd5
48.Re8 c4 49.Kc3 cxb3 50.axb3 c5 51.Kd2 Rg2+ 52.Ke1 Kd6 53.Kf1
Rg4 54.Kf2 Kd7 55.Rb8 1-0
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