Tidbits from the Russian Team Championship
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
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WHEN THE DRAGON HAS NO FIRE…
POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 13th MOVE (13.h5!)
UZHVA
gm SUTOVSKY
13…Nxh5? 14. Bxg7 Kxg7 15. g4 Nf6 16. Qh6 Kg8
The game in 2010 between Yemelin and Uzhva (yes the same opponent as in the Sutovsky game!) saw White play the strongest move: 17. Nd5! : after 17…Bxd5 18. exd5 e5 19. g5! Nd7 20. Qxh7 Kf8 White played 21. Bh3 and won easily enough, though White can play even more precisely with 21. Bd3! Rac8 22. Bxg6
I find it difficult to understand why Uzhva would want to repeat this experience, especially since the Black position is lost! COMPLETELY lost! However, in chess it takes all types…
SUTOVSKY PLAYED ANOTHER WAY, if not quite as strongly as Yemelin, is never the less sure to guarantee a win 10 times in 10 outings (!):
17. Bd3
Not only threatening Nd5 and/or g5 with decisive threats, but also aligning the killer Bishop on the d3-h7 diagonal. Can one ask more from a single move? If now 17… Rd7 then 18. g5 Nh5 19. Rxh5 gxh5 20. Nd5! and Black can resign confidently!
17…Rdc8!? 18. Nd5
[ Very strong, but18. g5! Rxc3 19. gxf6 is equally convincing since Black has only a few spite checks]
Black’s opening has once more ended in bankruptcy. He has not even a shadow of a threat…
18… Bxd5 19. exd5 Qxd5!? 20. g5 Qe5 21. Rde1! Qf4
22. Bxg6 !!
Worth the price of admission. Black soon gave up, but not before losing his Queen!
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POSITION AFTER 31 MOVES
gm Kismatullin
gm Matlakov
A chaotic position. Black has just taken a pawn on e2 and threatens mate! White should not panic now but instead look calmly at his own attack: he has a mate in 15 moves (!). Are you up to it?
Begin with 32.Rxg6! pxR 33.Rh8!!