Kuznetsov, V. (2448) Czech Open GMA (3) | ||
| Tony Kosten |
This game not only features one of the biggest novelties I have ever seen, it is also a brilliant attacking game featuring a real queen sacrifice!
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5.
The novelty everyone is talking about! Black plays a sort of Marshall in two goes (he has already played ...d6!) with his knight on a5. White has the h3 move 'for free', but does this help him?
11. exd5
The only critical move, the alternatives allow Black to equalise immediately:
11. Nxe5 dxe4 12. d4 exd3 13. Bxd3 Bd6 14. Bf4 Bb7 is obviously very comfortable for Black.
11. d4 Nxe4 12. Nxe5 f6 13. Nf3 f5!? cements the knight on e4.
Again critical. Other moves have been tried more recently, but they fail to impress:
12. Ne5 Qxd5 13. d4 exd3 14. Qxd3 Bb7 with equality, Nemcova, K (2245)-Manik, M (2457)/Ceska Trebova CZE 2007.
12. Nd4?! Qxd5 13. f3?! Bxh3!? (13... Bc5 14. fxe4 Qe5 looks strong, but 15. Kh1 Nh5 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. d4 Qg3 18. Re3! Qf2 19. Rf3 Qh4 20. exf5 defends) 14. fxe4 (14. gxh3 c5 15. Nb3 Qg5+ 16. Kf1 Qg3 is the neat point, winning) 14... Qg5 15. Qf3 Bg4 16. d3 Qh4 17. Qf2 Nh5 18. Qxh4 Bxh4 19. Rf1 Ng3 20. Rf4 Bg5 favoured Black in Krejci, J (2315)-Votava, J (2547)/Ceska Trebova CZE 2007.
12. Bxe4 Nxe4 13. Rxe4 Bb7 14. d3 Bxd5 15. Re1 leaves Black with the bishop pair and a lead in development for a pawn.
13. Nxh7?! is tempting, but after 13... Kxh7 14. Bxe4+ Kg8 15. Bxd5 Qxd5 16. Rxe7 Black has 16... Bxh3! (16... Be6 is not bad either, 17. d3 Qd6 wins an exchange) 17. Qf3 (17. gxh3? Qg5+ forks king and rook) 17... Qxf3 18. gxf3 Rae8 19. Rxe8 Rxe8 and with ...Re1+ coming White is in big trouble
13... f5 14. Ng3 f4 15. Ne4 f3
This is the first critical position, as almost by force White has won a pawn but Black has a small lead in development, and more pertinently his f-pawn is menacing the white king. Rybka already assesses this position as slightly better for Black!
16. d4
White attempts to complete development.
16. gxf3 Nf4 17. d4 Nxh3+ 18. Kf1 Be6 19. Nbd2 Nf4 looks horrible for White.
The queen covers the 6th rank to stop Qh5 followed by Bxg6.
17... Bxh3?? loses a piece to 18. Qh5
18. Be4
White wishes to capture on g2 with his bishop, thus adding a defender to his kingside.
18... Bb7?!
Offering an exchange sacrifice, but the continuation shows that this is incorrect.
18... c6! looks better, 19. Bxg2 Bh4 20. Qd3 Qf6 21. Re2 Bd7 planning ...Rae8 with a strong initiative.
Clearly forced.
White is hoping to win by a direct attack.
21. Qg4!? Qf6 22. Be6+ Kh8 23. f3 also looks fully playable, if White can successfully develop his queenside he is material up and may well be better.
21. Be6+? first, is a mistake, 21... Kh8 22. Qg4 Rxf2! with a strong attack, as 23. Kxf2? Qh2 24. Rg1 Nf6 25. Qd1 Ne4+ wins
21... Rxf5!
This is maybe not fully correct, but is the best practical try.
21... Qd8? 22. Qh5 Nf6 23. Rxf6 Rxf6 24. Qxh7+ is the point - after all White was an exchange ahead so he can easily afford to give it back!
21... Qd7 is hardly better, 22. Rf6! Qe8 23. Rxf8+ Bxf8 24. Bg4 Qg6 25. Qf3 Nb4 26. Bf5! with advantage.
The second critical position of the game. White has no developed pieces, while all Black's pieces are in play. However Black only has two pieces for the queen!
23. a4!?
It seems odd to move a pawn in such a position, especially as the weakness on b3 allows Black some extra tactical possibilities, but this is not so bad.
23. Qg4 is an alternative, although after, say 23... g6 24. b4!? (so that the b7-bishop is undefended) 24... Nf6 25. Qe2 Nc4 26. Nd2 Bd5 27. Nxc4 Bxc4 Black has excellent light-squared control.
Development by 23. Nd2? is a mistake because of 23... Nf4
23... Bg3!?
23... b4 is also interesting, 24. cxb4 Nxb4 25. Bd2 Bf3 26. Qe1 Nc2 27. Qe6+ Rf7 and now 28. Bxa5 Nxd4! 29. Qc8+ Rf8 30. Qxa6 Ne2+ 31. Qxe2 Bxe2 is fine for Black.
24. f3
24. fxg3? Rf1+ 25. Qxf1 gxf1=Q+ 26. Kxf1 Nb3 27. Ra3 Nxc1 28. axb5 axb5 29. Ra7 Bc8 and Black is better, as 30. Ra8 Nb6
24... Bf4!
To gain control of the e3-square, while menacing to capture on c1 and then play ...Nb3.
25. axb5!
Best.
25. Na3? Bxc1 26. Rxc1 Ne3 27. Qe2 Rxf3 and the threat of ...Rf1+ is decisive.
25. Bd2?! is met by 25... Nc4! 26. axb5 (26. Qe1 Nde3 27. b3 Nxd2 28. Nxd2 Rh5) 26... Be3+ 27. Bxe3 Ndxe3 28. Qe2 Bxf3 29. Qf2 Be4 30. bxa6 Rxf2 31. Kxf2 Nc2 32. Ra2 Ne1! 33. a7 Ba8 with advantage.
Giving Black a deserved reprieve.
26. Qxc1! seems close to winning, 26... Rxf3 (26... Nb3? 27. Qc2 is the saving resource) (26... Nf4 27. Qxf4! Rxf4 28. bxa6 Ba8 29. Rxa5 Rxf3 30. Kxg2! Rf5+ 31. d5 and wins.) 27. bxa6 Ba8 28. Qg5! (28. Rxa5 Ne3 29. Qxe3 Rxe3 30. d5 Re1+ 31. Kxg2 Rxb1 32. b4 is unclear) 28... Rf1+ 29. Kxg2 Ne3+ 30. Kh2 Rh1+ 31. Kg3 Rg1+ 32. Kf4 Rxg5 33. Kxg5 Nb3 34. Ra4 when the rook and white queenside pawns are more than a match for the black pieces.
26... Nf4!
Black plays for the win.
26... Be3+ 27. Kxg2 Rg5+ 28. Kh1 Rg3 draws, e.g. 29. Qf1 Nb6 30. bxa6 Bxf3+ 31. Kh2 Bf4 32. Rf5 Rg2+ 33. Kh1 Rg3+
27. Qe1?
This loses quickly, but it is difficult to criticise White who had to find a lot of difficult moves right from the beginning of the game.
27. Nd2 was the only move, but may be insufficient: 27... Bxd2 28. Qxd2 Bxf3 29. Ra1 Nxh3+ 30. Kh2 Rh5! (30... g1=Q+ 31. Rxg1 Nxg1 32. Kxg1 axb5 is probably drawn) 31. Kg3 Ng5 32. Qe1 (32. Qe3 Rh3+ 33. Kf4 h6 34. Rg1 axb5 35. Qe8+ Kh7 36. Qe5 Bb7 and Black will win, the immediate threat is ...Rf3+, mating) 32... Rh3+ 33. Kf2 Be4! and again White is in trouble, e.g. 34. bxa6 Rh1 35. a7 Nh3+ 36. Ke2 Rxe1+ 37. Rxe1 g1=Q
27... Bxf3 28. bxa6 Nxh3+ 29. Kh2 Bf4+ 30. Kxh3 g1=N+! 31. Qxg1 Rxa5
White will have to give his queen for a bishop to stop mate on the h-file.
0-1