Tucson Open (5) |
Tucson Open (5) |
This was the last round of the Tucson Open 2009. Having taken a draw in the previous round with Danny Rensch, I was forced to play for a win in this round if I wanted to be the Arizona State Champion again. Going through all the openings I employ as black against 1 e4, I decided that I need to go for a lengthy game, where the game can proceed on the whole board yet there is a certain amount of theory and tactics involved. I also needed to avoid drawish lines as well as lines that lead to crazy complications. The main line of Rui Lopez ( Spanish Opening ) seemed appropriate for this occasion.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.
Ben does not mind the main line either and we arrive now to the crossroads. Black has many playable continuations here. My first choice ( which I didn't get to play ) was the so-called Zaitsev system, employed many times by World Champions Karpov and Kasparov.
9... Bb7
Other systems ranked by popularity are:
9... Na5 10. Bc2 c5 Chigorin System
9... Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 Breyer System
9... h6
9... Nd7
9... a5
9... Be6
This is the general idea: White gets a nice center with a choice of locking up the center ( which Karpov favored ), or opening the center ( which Fischer favored ). Black gets to develop nicely and exert pressure on White's center, with chances to expand on the Queen side too.
11. Ng5!?
A very interesting and strong practical choice. One of the problems with the Zaitsev system is that the F7 gets weak and white can immediately exploit it. It is not dangerous for black... except when he needs to play for a win.
11. Nbd2 This is the main line where both sides also have small chances to avoid the long systems that requires lots of analysis and memorization. 11... Bf8 12. a4 (12. d5!?) (12. Bc2!?) 12... h6 13. Bc2 exd4 14. cxd4 Nb4 15. Bb1 c5 16. d5 Nd7 17. Ra3 Those interested in exploration of this highly complex line, I would recommend checking out numerous games between Kasparov and Karpov, as well as checking out games of Anand, Ivanchuk and Carlsen. 17... c4 (17... f5!?) 18. Nd4 Qf6 (18... Nc5) (18... Nd3!? Just one of the strange lines of this system 19. Bxd3 b4 20. Nxc4 bxa3 21. b3 Who is better here ?)
White is happy with a draw.. . or forces Black to abandon the Zaitsev system and play something else.
12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 Na5 14. Bc2 Nd5! Black stands well
12... Nd7!?
This was the first time I played this line, but after my conversations with a French Grandmaster Fressinet ( 2700 FIDE ) in Las Vegas last year and then checking out his games in Chessbase, I came to a conclusion this is an OK line for Black.Having already committed to the Bb7 move, Black has less options now.
In the previously mentioned Zaitsev system Black has a Bishop on f8, that eventually goes on g7. Here it already pressures d4 pawn, but is vulnerable to attacks.
15. Ng3
The most natural but probably not the best line.
15. N1h2!? This is supposed to give black more problems. Black is OK here, but even more importantly, I was hoping that Ben would be facing this line first time in his life and therefore will not be familiar with all the intricacies. 15... exd4 16. cxd4 Na5 17. Bc2 c5 18. Ng4 cxd4 19. Nxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Rc8
Here is where I sort of got stuck. From one side I knew I must have a normal and nice game, but from another I really was not sure what to do. Moves like Na5 and Nb6 came to mind, but they seemed a bit artificial and slow.I figured out the correct way only after standing next to my opponent and watching the position from his side!
16. Bh6! To my dismay, it turned out this still would give white a very normal and nice game.
16... exd4 17. cxd4 Nb4! 18. Bb3
18. Bb1 White needs to save the bishop 18... c5 19. d5 a5 20. a3 Na6 21. Re2 c4 Looks pretty nice for Black
I sightly underestimated this move concentrating more on direct approach from his side ( moves such as ushing the central pawns or captures )
20. dxc5 dxc5 21. Qd5 (21. Bxf7+ Kxf7 22. Qd5+ Kg7 23. Bh6+ Kxh6 24. Qf7 A nice fantasy line for White, needed only 1 check from anywhere to checkmate Black. Fortunately it just stays a fantasy and Black is winning by kicking the queen in some way.) 21... c4
20... cxd4!
I really could not calculate to the very end a line that almost by force takes us from an early middlegame to a better endgame for Black. Below is the line I calculated. I am sure that from a stand point of some super fast computer, my calculation was primitive and filled with small mistakes but unfortunately we are not allowed to use any such help during the games and I had to choose a move.
20... Na5! 21. Ba2 Nc4 22. Bxc4 bxc4 23. dxc5 Nxc5 24. Bxc5 dxc5 25. Qc2 Qd3 26. Rac1 Rab8 27. Qxc4 Qxc4 28. Rxc4 Bxb2 29. Rxc5 Bxa3 30. Rc7 Bd6 31. Rd7 Bxg3 32. fxg3 Bxe4 33. Ng5 Bc6 34. Rxe8+ Rxe8 35. Rxf7 This seemed almost forced to me but not good anyways, so I avoided this line in favor of slower and more complex one.If what I did would lead to a draw, I would probably change my mind and say that I missed the line starting with 20...Na5
21. Nxd4 Nxd4 22. Bxd4 Nc5 23. Bc2
23... Be5!
One of the hardest moves in the game. Rc8 and Ne6 were also very tempting.This move tries to fix Black's only serious flaw- weakness on d6, while continuously presuring White. The slowlyness of this idea worried me a bit but I could not find anything more exact so I stuck with this one at the end.
23... Rc8 24. b4 Ne6 25. Bxf6 Qxf6 26. a4! I did not see this very strong move ( pointed out by a computer later on) but I felt like he has something of this sort so avoided this entire line.
24. Bxe5!
Black was starting to threaten moves such as Qf6 and Ne6, so Ben appropriately feels that simplifications are in order
25. Qg4!?
Not the best. Not wanting to commit any piece, I decided to make a good move from a general stand point. However, I immediately regretted it after seeing his next move.
26... Rac8! 27. Rxd8+ (27. b4 Ne6 28. Rxd8+ Rxd8 29. Bb3 Nd4 30. Ba2 with good chances for a draw) 27... Rxd8 28. b4 Rd2!
27. f3!
It defends the e4 pawn and the knight is now free to move around on the routes of Ne2-Nc3-Nd5 or Nf1-Ne3-Nd5
27... a5!
5 moves ago I would never want to do this move, trying to open yet another front for the fight, trading even more pieces along the way, but now seeing his last move and realizing I am close to losing my edge, I was forced to be more aggressive.
So far I outplayed my opponent on general terms but unfortunately with no serious chances for a win or any exact advantages. I have a better knight, better bishop and that is all so far. You need more to win games and I was not sure where that " more " will be coming from. If he can trade some pieces, it will quicky end up in equality. However, after his last move I get a big advantage.White not only limits his own bishop, makes b3 and a3 pawns much weaker, but also weaknes the c3 square for Black rook.
29. Ke3! I am still not sure what to do after this as my advantage seems insufficient for anything exact.
30. Bxd1 Rd8! (30... Nd3+ Or this 31. Ke3 Nf4 32. Kf2 Rd8 33. axb4 Rd2+ 34. Ke3 Rd3+ 35. Kf2 axb4
)
30... Ne6!
Eyeing the weakness on d4
31... bxa3!? 32. Ra1 Rd8 33. Ke3 Ba6
An important intermediate move to make sure the d4 square is under my control.
Desperation, but other ways seem hopeless.
34. Kd2 axb4 35. Rc1 Ra2 36. Kd1 g5 White is effectively out of useful moves, in zugzwang and loses material
The idea is to have pawns on white squares, defend them with the Bishop and if White can win the d4 pawn, then he has a very good chance to draw the game.
35. bxa5 Maybe a better try but still losing.
35... Ke7
Getting the King to the proximity of the B5 pawn, therefore the Ra8 is free to do damage
36. f4
Slow, but nothing really works anymore.
36... Rc8 37. Bd3 Rc3! 38. Bc4 a4!
The easiest way to win. Black creates his own passed pawn while stopping the B5 pawn.White resigns and I win the 2009 Arizona State Championship.
0-1 [Altounian L.]
Marmont B.
Game(s) in PGN