NATO Chess 2014 Round 4 HighlightsJan Cheung, 24 April 2015

In round 4 there was a game that attracted many spectators. During the game many people wondered why the players keep playing because the position was completely closed. The game however, contained details that can differ the outcome. Let us take a look.

Demjen, Attila 2008 – Hansen, Stefan 2110C02 NATO – ch 25th (4.12) 10.09-2014

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.a3 c4

More popular options are 6…Qb6 and 6…f6. In this game of the advanced variation of the French Defence, black choose to close the centre with 6..c5-c4 to prevent whites b2-b4 thrust. The position is nearly closed. Looking at the pawn chain, whites long term plan is to play f2-f4-f5, to attack blacks pawn chain from behind. Blacks long term plan is to play b7-b5-b4 to attack whites pawn chain from behind. Both plans are not easy to perform because it will take a long time to put the pieces at the right squares. So, white and back have an alternative plan, which is not so effective as the first plan. Whites alternative plan is to attack blacks pawn chain at the front side with b2-b3 and blacks alternative strategy is to attack whites pawn chain at the front side with f7-f6. These plans are not so effective because they also creates weaknesses around the pawn chain. After whites b2-b3 and blacks response c4xb3, a new question arises whether square c4 is a serious weakness for white. The same question for black arises after blacks f7-f6 and whites response e5xf6: is square e5 a serious weakness for black?

7.g3 Qb6 8.Bh3 Nge7 9.Nbd2 Na5 10.Nf1

This move is not accurate because at d2, the knight can support the b2-b3 thrust. It is better to put both plans into play with 10.0-0 h6 11.Ne1 0-0-0 12.Ng2 Kb8 13.Rb1.

10…h6 11.Ne3 0-0-0 12.0-0 Kb8 13.Nc2?!

White decides to give this knight only a defensive task. In general, you should play for your own chances otherwise your opponent will take over the initiative. The knight at e3 is already at a good square to support the f2-f4-f5 break. For example: 13.Nd2 h5 14.f4 h4 15.g4 g6 16.Kh1 Bg7 17.Rb1 Rdg8 18.Qe2 Ka8 19.Rf2 Rf8 20.Nf3 Nb3 21.Bd2. Now it is black who has the initiative.

13…g5 14.Nb4 Ng6 15.Rb1 Nb3 16.Be3 Be7 17.Nd2 a5 18.Na2

18…Rdg8?!

Here black can try to attack at the queen side with 18…Ba4!? For example: 19.Nc1 (or 19.Qe2 Nxd2 20.Qxd2 h5 21.Bg2 h4 and black can easier improve his position than white.) Nxd2 20.Qxd2 h5! 21.Bxg5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5 Bc2 23.Ra1 Be4. Black gets plenty of pawns in return for his bad bishop: 24.f3 Qxb2 25.Ra2 Qxc3 26.fxe4 Qxd4+ 27.Kh1 Qxe4+ 28.Bg2 Qg4.

After the text move, the result of pieces exchanges gives white the possibility to improve the activity of his knight at a2.

19.Nxb3 Qxb3 20.Qxb3 cxb3 21.Nc1 a4 22.Re1 Bb5 23.Bf1 Bxf1 24.Kxf1 Nf8 25.Nd3 Nd7 26.Ke2 b5 27.Rf1 Nb6 28.Nd3 Nd7 29.Ke2 b5 27.Rf1 Nb6

The exchange at b3 has favored white because black plan with b5-b4 is ruled out. The alternative plan f7-f6 doesn’t only gives white square e5, so basically black does not have a plan. His best bet is to wait what white will do. Finally white carries out his long term plan.

28.f4! Rf8 29.f5 Nc4

30.Bc1?!

White is afraid that black will put a piece sacrifice at a3 in return for 2 pawns. However, it is better to go for own chances with the flexible move 30.Rf2. Now black has 3 main options.

1. 30…Bxa3? 31.bxa3 Nxa3 32.Ra1! Nc4 33.Bc1! Kb7 34.Ba3 and white has stopped the passed pawns.

2. 30…Nxa3? 31.bxa3 Bxa3 32.Ra1! Be7 33.f6 Bd8 34.Nc5 and white has stopped the passed pawns.3. 30…Kc7 31.Rbf1 Kc6 32.Bc1 Kd7 33.h3 Kc6 34.g4! Ruling out h6-h5. White has the lead.

30…Kc7 31.f6 Bd8 32.Nf2?!

The text move closes whites options at the king side. After 32.h4 gxh4 33.g4! white have made progress.

32…Kc6 33.Nd1 Bb6 34.Ne3 Ra8 35.h3 Ba5

The position is closed and both sides have no intentions to open it. After some 20 moves the game ended in a draw. This game shows that in closed positions tiny possibilities could make difference in assessment of the position.

As usual, here are some exercises of games of round 4.

Position 1.

Position after 13…Bb7xc6. White to move.

Position 2.

Position after 40.a4-a5. The last move before the time control! Choose between A) 40…Qe5+ and B) 40…Kg7. You have 30 seconds.

Position 3.

Position after 46...Na4-b6. White to move. Choose between A) 47.Bc3 and B) 47.g5+

Position 4.

Position after 17.Nb2-b3. Black to move. Choose between A) 17…d6 and B) 17…Rc8.

Position 5.

Position after 27…d6xc5. White to move.

Position 6.

To support this exercise you can play the game from the beginning. Position 6 is reached after the following moves. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Be2 b6 9.h4!? c5 10.h5 cxd4 11.cxd4 Nc6 12.hxg6 hxg6 13.Be3 Qd6 14.d5 Ne5 15.Nd4 Qb4+

White to move. Choose between A) 16.Kf1 and B) 16.Qd2.

Position 7.

Position after 24...Rf8-c8. White to move.

Position 8.

Position after 30...Rd6-d5. White to move. Choose between A) 31.Bg6, B) 31.Bg4 and C) 31.Bf3.

Position 9.

Position after 17….Qe8-e7. White to move.

Position 10.

Position after 37.f3xg4. Black to move.

Position 11.

Position after 23…h5-h4. White to play.

Position 12.

Position after 27.Kg2-f1. Black to move. Choose between A) 27…bxc5, B) 27…Qf6 and C) 27…Rd5

Position 13.

Position after 11…Qd8xd4. White to move. Choose between A) 12.Nc3 and B) 12.0-0

Position 14.

Position after 9…Rf8-e8. White to move. Choose between A) 10.Be5, B), 10.Nc3 and C) 10.e4.

Position 15.

Position after 39…Rc3-c1. The last move before the time control. White to move. You have 10 seconds.

Solutions

Position 1 is the game Farrell – Papista (4.04).

In this typical Catalan position, white has sacrificed a pawn in the opening. The question is where to find compensation. Black has weak squares a5 and c5 at the queen side. If he has time, he can solve

this problem by advancing his queen side pawns. So white has to react quickly. With 14.Ba5! white can prevent blacks plan, for example 14…Qc8 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Rfc1.

In the game white played the lesser move 14.b3. This move gives black an important tempo . After 14…cxb3 15.Qxb3 Qb6! white cannot prevent a7-a5 anymore.

Position 2 is the game Helbig – Bacus (4.05).

Should a player be in time trouble, there is one practical rule of thumb: play a piece move, not a pawn move. The reason is that a piece can move back, which cost less thinking time than a pawn move or an exchange, in which the player have to use much time to calculate the consequences.

In position 2, black has a crippled pawn structure. He can compensate this with the presence of the black queen, who can give annoying checks. It is tempting to restore the pawn structure with 40…Qe5+. However, playing this move costs more thinking time than 40…Kg7 because black has to estimate the resulting bishop ending.

In the game black played 40…Qe5+. After 41.Qxe5+ fxe5 42.Kf2! white has a mobile pawn majority at the queen side and the bishop ending is lost for black. The game continued as follows: 42…Bc4 43.Ke3 Bb5 44.Be2 Bd7 45.b5 Bc8 46.b6 Kg5 47.Bb5 Kf6 48.Bd7! 1-0.

After 40…Kg7 white is somewhat better, but black can defend by keeping the queens at the board.

Position 3 is the game Bielawski – Van Rijn (4.08).

Black is two pawns up, but they are all weak and there is not a passed pawn yet. The white pieces are more active than blacks counterpart. The black squared bishop and the pawn at g4, which is put at a white square, defend a lot of squares together.

After 47.Bc3! the white bishop performs important defending tasks: this piece prevents a7-a5 and he also prevents any king activity at the king side. As a bonus, this piece also prepares white to counterattack blacks pawn at c5. Here is an example of possible continuations.

47…Nd5 48.Bd2 Nb4+ 49.Kc3 Nd3 50.Kxc4. Any pawn exchange will increase whites drawing chances.

47…Rf7 48.Bd2 Na4 Now that the knight has released the pawns on the queen side, white can try to exchange some of them. 49.g5+ Kd5 50.Rh6 Rf2 51.Rxh7 Nxb2.

47…Rf7 48.Bd2 Nd7 49.Bc3 Nb8 50.Rh5 Na6 51.Bd2.

The move 47.g5+ was played in the game. This move has more disadvantages than advantages: the bishop and pawn g5 are not defending white squares and the pawn at g5 obstructs the possibility Rh4-h5, attacking blacks pawn at c5. After 47…Kf5 white has lost some control of the position. After the game continuation 48.Rh1 Nd5 49.Bd8 Rd7 white will lose pawn g5.

Position 4 is the game Wagenaar – Bohn (4.10).

Black has to solve two questions. 1) Pawn c5 is attacked, but how to defend? 2) Where does black have to put his pieces in an effective way? Combining an answer of these questions, the following sequence of moves is possible: Rh8-c8, a7-a5-a4, Bb7-d5, Nb8-c6. After 17…Rc8! white can reply with 18.Na5 to prevent this plan, but it still cannot prevent 18…Bd5 with the threat Nb8-c6. After 19.c4 Be4 20.Ng5 black can reply with 20…Nc6! to continue his development.

In the game black played 17…d6. The disadvantage of this move is that pawn e6 becomes weak and it gives white a target to attack. After 18.Na5 black is already in trouble, for example:

18…Bxf3? 19.Bxf3 d5 20.c4 and black has problems to finish his development. 18…Be4 19.Ng5 Bd5 20.c4 Bc6 (Note that 20…Nc6 is not possible because pawn d6 has also

become weak) 21.Rd2 h6 22.Nf3 and black still hasn’t finished his development. 18…Ba6 (this move was played in the game) 19.Bxa6 Nxa6 20.Rd2 and black has problems to

protect square c6 and the pawns d6 and e6.

Position 5 is the game Macaspac – Wells (4.13).

It looks like white is in trouble, but he can save himself with a cross pin combination. After 28.Rxc5! Rxb4 29.Qxb4! Qxb4 30.axb4 Rxb4 31.Rc8+ white is somewhat better because his pieces are more active than blacks pieces. This sequence of moves was played in the game. Instead of 29…Qxb4, black can also play 29…Rxb4. After the forced sequence of moves 30.Rxa5 Rb1+ 31.Kh2 Rb2 32.Nf4 Be5 33.g3 Rxf2+ 34.Kg1 Bd4! 35.Kh1 Rd2 the loss of pawn a6 is compensated by active pieces.

Position 6 is the game Koopmeiners – Michalski (4.14).

If you have played the game from the begin position, you noticed that white had started a furious king attack with h2-h4. After 15…Qd6-b4+ white was faced with a psychological problem. Should he continue the king attack or should he exchange queens and start an ending? It is tempting to continue the attack without considering the end game. In chess, there is no such thing as history, not counting three fold repetitions or the fifty moves rule. If you played a bad move, you should not remember this move during your next moves. You can better start thinking about future moves. This means that the phrase “To support this exercise you can play the game from the beginning. Etc, etc…” is not relevant!

We should focus on the future. White has a king attack, but the centre is not closed. According to Steinitz elements of chess, black should open the centre for a counter attack. This calls for moves like f7-f5. If black can play this move, whites king attack will be delayed or obstructed and white can better play without queens because his king can be put as an extra piece in the end game. Let’s do some calculation.

16.Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2.

White has a strong square c6 for his pieces. The c-line can be used as invasion file. The break f7-f5 can be defended with f2-f3. 17…Ng4 (or 17…Bd7 18.Rac1 Rac8 19.f4 Nd7 20.Nc6 Rfe8 21.a4 with easier play than black) 18.Rac1 Nxe3 19.Kxe3 a6 20.Nc6 Re8 21.f4 controlling the centre.

16.Kf1. The move played in the game.

In the exchange variation in the Gruenfeld Defence, one of blacks methods of counter play involves square c4. Now black can increase his control in the centre with 16…Nc4! After 17.Bxc4 (or 17.Bg5 Bd7 preventing Qd1-d3-h3) 17…Qxc4+ 18.Kg1 (or 18.Qe2 Qxe2+ 19.Kxe2 f5) 18…Bd7 white can complicate the game with 19.Rc1!? Qxa2 20.Nc6.

In the game black played the thematic break 16…f5, but the timing was not correct. After 17.Rb1! white took over the initiative: 17…Qd6 18.exf5 Bxf5 19.Nxf5 Rxf5 20.Kg1 with plans Rb1-c1, Rh1-h4.

Position 7 is the same game Koopmeiners – Michalski (4.14).

White can improve his position with 25.Rh4! Now there are threats as Rh4-g4 and Rh4-a4. In the game white played 25.Rh3 missing the extra possibility to attack pawn a7.

Position 8 is the same game Koopmeiners – Michalski (4.14).

White has two bishop for a one rook. Two of his pieces are attacked. If he can save them, he has good chances to win the game. It is time to do some calculation work. There is a lot of difficulty because bishop e3 is undefended and the extra possibility to give check to the white king.

Let’s start with 31.Bg6, the game continuation. After 31…Rd6 white has nothing more than 32.Bh5 After 32…Rd5 33.Bg6 Rd6 the game ended in a draw. Perhaps we should look for a counterattack with 31.Bg4 This bishop also defends square d1. Now the threat is Rf7xe7 defending bishop e3. Black cannot give check with Rc8 and has nothing more than 31…Kxf7. After 32.Bxc8 Ra5 white cannot defend pawn a2 and black is better due to his passed pawns at the queen side.

There is one last continuation. With 31.Bf3! Re5 32.Bf4! white can save his two bishops and the pawn at a2 because 32…Re1+ will be answered with 33.Kf2.

Position 9 is the game Leblanc – JM Nielsen (4.19).

The knight at g5 can only head to e6. Playing in defensive mode with 18.h4 does not improve whites position. After 18…Ng4 whites position has many weaknesses. So we have to play active. White worst piece at the moment, is the rook at a1. It can be activated by 18.Ra3! After 18…h6 19.Ne6 Bxe6 20.dxe6 Rad8 21.Qd2 Kh7

white will lose pawn e6, but in the meanwhile blacks king position has weakened. With 22.g4! white continues his temporary initiative, by weakening blacks pawn structure. Just remark that the rook at a3 has become an active piece. Black has two options.

22…Qxe6 23.gxf5 Qxc4 24.Be3! White prevents d6-d5. Now black has many moves, but with each of them, white has an adequate answer: 24…b6 25.Bb3 Qb4 26.Qxb4 cxb4 27.Ra2 or 24…Qf7 25.Rb3 or 24…Qb4 25.Qe2 b5 26.axb5 axb5 27.Ra7 Qxb2 28.Rb1 Qe5 29.Rxb5.

22..fxg4 23.hxg4 Qxe6 24.Qe2 d5 25.Re3 Qxg4 26.cxd5 Qxe2 27.Rxe2 with adequate compensation.

Position 10 is the game Lambruschini – Pirs (4.20).

Remember that chess is not draughts. After 37.fxg4 black has several possibilities, due to the fact that pawn c4 is undefended. This is the most important pawn in whites pawn structure.

37…fxg4. The game continuation. After 38.Re2! the position is equal. 37…Re4! After 38.Rc2 fxg4 black has won an important tempo compared in the previous

variation. After 38.gxf5 Rxc4 black is a pawn down, but his position is easier to play because the white pawns at the queen side are weak.

37…f4 38.Ra7 Kg5

39.c5!! Re5 40.Rxc7 dxc5 41.d6 Kxg4 42.Rc6 with an equal position. 37…Rg7 38.gxf5 Rg4!? 39.Rc2 Kxf5 40.Kf2 Ke5 41.Kf3 with an equal position.

Conclusion: 37…Re4! Is the best option.

Position 11 is the game Keough – O’Byrne (4.21).

Castling on opposite sides calls for a king side attack! White has to open files. In this position, the c file can be opened with 24.c5! Black has the following replies.

24…f5 25.cxb6 Bxb6 26.Rac1. With threat Nf3-e5, white has a devastating attack. 24…cxb5 25.cxb6 Bxb6 26.Rhc1+ with a devastating attack.

In the game white played 24.bxc6. This move is not so accurate because the white pawn at c6 blocks an invasion at the c file. After 24…f5 white has to reckon counter play with f5xg4.

Position 12 is the same game Keough – O’Byrne (4.21).

Black has to defend against the threat c5xb6 followed by Nf3-e5. The queen at g6 keeps an eye at square d3. Here are some possible defenses.

27…Rd5!? With this move black centralizes his rook. It also prevents Nf3-e5. After 29. cxb6 Bxb6 29.Rd1 white is threatening Nf3-e5. After29…Bc7 30.Re1 Bf4 31.Qxe6+ Qxe6 32.Rxe6 Rb5 black is two pawns down, but he has adequate counterplay.

27…bxc5!? A move hard to find behind the board. It looks like opening the b file is dangerous, but black has adequate resources to defend. After the follow up move Rd8-d5 the black king can escape by walking to square d8. White has the following replies.

o 28.Qb5 Rd5 29.Qb7+ Kd8 30.Qa8+ Ke7 31.Qxa7 Qd3+ 32.Kg1 Kf6. Blacks king is safer than whites king.

o 28.dxc5 Rd5! 29.Rc1 (29.Qb5? Qe4) 29…Qf6 Black has adequate methods of defence. For example 30.Kg1 Rh6 or 30.Rb1 Rxc5 31.Qd3 Qc3 32.Qxh7 Qc4+ 33.Kg1 Qxg4+ 34.Kf1 Qc4+.

Position 13 is the game Hater – Murray (4.23).

With the white queen at the board, black has some minor problems with his king. At the moment, white has not been fully developed, so a direct attack at blacks king has been postphoned.

According to Steinitz elements of chess, in the opening white should first play the multifunctional move first. Translated in position 13, we know that sooner or later, white has to castle. We don’t know whether we have to activate the bishop at c1 or the knight at b1 first. So a sensible move would be 12.0-0 (option B).

12.Nc3 (option A) was played in the game. The disadvantage of this move is that it temporary restricts the activity of the white queen. After 12…Na6! a queen trade is almost inevitable. The game continued with 13.Be3 (13.Ne4 can be answered with 13…Bg4) 13…Nc5! 14.Bxd4 Nxb3 15.axb3 exd4 and with the bishop pair, black has taken over the initiative.

After 12.0-0! (option B) 12…Na6 white has the extra possibility 13.Re1! to attack pawn e5. After 13…Nc5 14.Qc3! Qxc3 15.Nxc3 black has problems defending pawn e5.

Position 14 is the game Deneyer – Musselman (4.25).

White still has to develop his knight at b1. This piece has only a future at square c3, to contest the centre. But when the knight is put at c3, it blocks the bishop at b2. So 10.Nc3 (option B) is not a good move. The bishop at b2 and the pawn chain d2-e3-f4 are not a good combination because they both perform the same task, to contest the black squares. The white squares around the pawn chain have to be defended by other pieces. If the bishop at b2 is exchanged, it is only in whites favor. With 10.Be5! (option A) followed by 11.Nc3, white can complete his development.

As a rule of thumb in Steinitz elements of chess, white should first put his pieces to the best squares before playing a pawn move. This means that 10.e4 (option C) is not the best move because it does not solve the problem with knight b1.

Position 15 is the game Toscani – Tremblay (4.36).

White is a queen up, but he has a minor problem with his first rank. White can improve his position by enlarging the activity his pieces with, for example 40.Rdd1.

In the game white played carelessly 40.Rxc1?? After 40…Rxc1+ 41.Rd1 black won the game with 41…Qe1+! The sad part of the story was that the accident did not happen in time trouble. White only violated the rule of thumb by worsening the activity of his pieces with one move… Chess can sometimes be cruel!