ChessBase Magazin

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 7.Rb1 Be7 8.Nf3 0-0 9.h4 b6 10.h5 h6 11.Rh3 Having said A, White says B. 11.Bd3 seems less consistent to me. Black can counter it with cxd4 12.cxd4 Nc6 Nepomniachtchi - So, Chess24.com (rapid) 2021 , but also 12...e5!? 13.dxe5 Na6 Aronian - Bosiocic, Moscow (blitz) 2019 11...cxd4 Although this early exchange aim to open the c-file as soon as possible and indeed avoids what was played in Héra - Csonka, it might be a bit premature. Apart from clearing the 5th rank for 5 after possible sacrifices on the kingside, it opens up the long diagonal, so 2 ideas become more dangerous. Having said that, objectively it's fine, but Black needs to follow up with 12.cxd4 7! 11...e5? 12.Rg3± Goltseva - Lobanova, Chess.com (blitz) 2021 11...Nd7 is covered in the last two games. Two understand its hidden points, first let's check the alternatives. Paradoxically, Black shouldn't develop first with 11...Bb7?! , as he loses the option of the e6-e5 freeing break in some positions. He is still okay objectively, but he has to continue very precisely and avoid a number of pitfalls. 12.Bd3! I explain below why it's not necessary to include 12.Rg3 just yet. 12...Nd7! 12...Nc6? 13.Rg3 Kh8 14.Qd2! Rg8 Sarana - V. Damjanovic, Belgrade 2023 15.Kf1!± , just like in the actual game. 12...cxd4?! 13.cxd4 leads to 11...cxd4 12.cxd4 7?! 13.3! 12...Kh8?! is too slow. 13.Be3 Jacobson - Ronka, Chess.com (blitz) 2023 13.Rg3 13.Qe2!? 13...Kh8 14.Qd2 Black isn't in time to include to include cxd4-cxd4 8, as now g7 is a winning threat. Rg8 14...cxd4?? 15.Rxg7 Kxg7 16.Qxh6+ Kg8 17.e5+- 15.Kf1!? The engine just calmly wants to bring the king away from the danger zone. 15.Qf4 was played in both games in the actual position, but the machine finds some amazing counter-resources. cxd4! 15...Nf6?! Yakovich - A. Moskalenko, Chess.com (blitz) 2020 16.e5 Nxh5 17.Rxg7! Rxg7 18.Qxh6+ Kg8 19.Qxh5 15...Qf8 wasn't too bad either in Travadon - Rakotomaharo, Paris 2021. 16.cxd4 16.Qxf7 Nc5 17.Ne5 Bf6!∞ 16...Rc8 16...e5!?∞ 17.Qxf7 Rc3 15...Rc8 16.Kg1 cxd4 Black should open up the c-file at some point. 17.cxd4 Nf6 18.Qe1!?∞ We reach an interesting. Black has survived the first wave of attack and White doesn't have any immediate threats, but Black is also stuck a bit. White has the slow plan of 2, 2 (when the c1 trick isn't a thing anymore) 5, while it's not clear what Black does in the meantime. One thing he probably shouldn't try is White should be careful as well: 18.Qe2? Nxh5 19.Rh3 Rxc1+! 20.Rxc1 Nf4-+ 18.Qe3 Rc3! 18...Nxh5?! 19.Rh3 Nf6 ∆19...Rxc1 20.Qxc1+- 20.Be3 Most of the games feature 11...Kh8!? , but it doesn't have an independent value. 12.Rg3 e6-e5 was a threat, so moving the rook is logical. 12.Be3 e5 13.Rg3 Bh4! 14.Nxh4 Qxh4∞ 12.Qd2!? 12...Bb7 12...Nc6?! 13.Bb5 Bb7 14.Be3 Sarana - Shimanov, Chess.com (blitz) 2022, although 13.2!? or 14.4!? are possibly even stronger. 12...cxd4 reaches the next note. 12...Nd7 is covered via 11...7. 13.Bd3 One potential upside of 11...Kh8 is that in case of 13.e5?! Black can still play cxd4 14.cxd4 Nc6 , as White has already lost the option of d4-d5. It was played in Iljin - Petrov, Alushta 2023 13...cxd4! The best moment to include this exchange. White's rook is already on g3 and Black is able to carry out 7 and 8 before White threatens 2 and g7. 13...Nc6? and 13...Nd7?! were already analysed via 11...7?! 14.cxd4 - see the game after move 14. 14.Rb5!?∞ 12.cxd4 Noone has tried 12.Rg3N Kh8 13.Qd2!? An amazing line runs 13.cxd4 Bb7 14.Bd3 leads to the game via a different move order. 13...dxc3 Wisest is 13...Nd7! , transposing directly to Héra - Csonka 14.Qxc3 e5! 14...Bf6? 15.e5 Be7 16.Bxh6! gxh6 17.Qe3 Bg5 18.Nxg5 hxg5 19.Rxg5+- 14...f6? 15.Nh4± 15.Bxh6! 15.Nxe5 Bf6∞ 15...gxh6 16.Rd1 Qe8 16...Nd7 17.Nxe5 Bf6 18.Qc6! Qe7 19.Nxd7 Bxd7 20.Rxd7∞ 17.Nxe5 17.Qxe5+? f6 18.Qf4 Bb4+! Black needs to give this check before 18...h5?? 19.5! +- 19.Nd2 Qxh5 17...Kh7 17...Bf6 18.Rd6! Qe7 19.Rxf6!? Qxf6 20.Rf3 Qg7 21.Ng6+! Kg8 22.Nxf8 Qxc3+ 23.Rxc3 Bb7!∞ 18.Ng6! Rg8 18...Bc5?! 19.Nxf8+ Bxf8 20.a3!± 19.Nxe7 Rxg3 20.Qxc8! 20.fxg3 Be6∞ 20...Qxc8 21.Nxc8∞ 12...Bb7?! While on move 11 developing the bishop was still relatively okay, here it's a serious mistake. White could take advantage of the early cxd4-cxd4 in this case, as explained above. 12...Kh8 can be played once again with the aim to transpose to some other lines, although it allows 13.Be3!? , similarly to Jacobson - Ronka. However, after 12...Nd7! I don't see any way for White to make use of the early pawn exchange. Due to potential e6-e5 break, White is forced to transpose into lines that are covered in the remaining games. 13.Rg3?! Although it looks very natural, White could have and should have waited with it to see Black's response. 13.Bd3! Flexibility is the key here. As we will see, putting the knight on c6 here is almost a suicide, so Black should restrain himself to 7. In that case White is happy to leave the rook on h3, defending the h5 pawn after the subsequent 6. Nd7 13...Nc6? Remarkably, all 6 games featured this move in the actual position. 14.Rg3 Only now! Kh8 and we are back to the game. 13...e5? is just bad without 7. 14.Rg3 Kh8 15.Nxe5 Qxd4 16.Bb2 Qb4+ 17.Kf1+- 13...Kh8 14.Kf1 doesn't change anything. 14.Kf1! 14.Bb2?! e5! Black can capitalise on saving on 8. 14...Rc8 15.Bb2! 15.Kg1?! Rc3 ∆16.Bb2 Rxd3 17.Qxd3 Nc5 15...Nf6 15...e5?! 16.Qe2± Here the king is safer compared to 14.2 16.Qe2 Obviously White is happy to have a clearer view for his b2 bishop. 13...Kh8 14.Bd3 The creative 14.d5? exd5 15.Qd4? backfired badly after Bf6 16.e5 Nc6 17.exf6 Re8+!-+ Hakobyan - Paravyan, Chess.com (blitz) 2023 14.Bxh6!? only leads to a draw after both gxh6 15.Qd2 Bg5= and 15...Kh7 16.e5 Be4= 14...Nc6? Black returns the favour and now he is in huge trouble. With 14...Nd7! Black could have achieved an improved version of Yakovich - Moskalenko from 11...7?!. The point is that after 15.Qd2 Black isn't forced to play the ugly 15...8, but instead Rc8! prevents g7 by tactical means. The current position is covered in Héra - Csonka (14.cxd4 7 15.3), while instead of 15.2, 15.e5 leads to the next game. 15.Qd2! White threatens g7, but also covers the b4 square, so the decisive breakthrough is only a matter of time. Starting with 15.Kf1+- is also good 15...Rg8 15...Nxd4? 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Bb2+- 16.Kf1! Evacuating the king before going for d5. 16.Bb2? Nb4 16.d5? exd5 17.exd5 17.Bb2? Bb4-+ 17...Qxd5 18.Bb2 f6 18...Bb4 19.Bxg7+ Rxg7 20.Rxb4∞ 19.Nh4 Rge8∞ 16...Rc8 16...Qd6?! 17.Bb2+- Sorokin - Fus, Brownsville 2023 16...Bd6 17.e5+- Bai - Jiang, Montesilvano 2023 17.d5! exd5 17...Nb4?! 18.Ne5+- 18.exd5 Nb8?! Black's only chance was 18...Qxd5 19.Bb2 f6 , but it's understandable that he refrained from it in view of 19...Qd6? 20.Rg6!+- 20.Nh4! Ba6 21.Ng6+ Kh7 22.Nxe7+ Bxd3+ 23.Rxd3 Qxh5 24.Nxc8 Qh1+ 25.Ke2 Qxb1 26.Nd6+- 19.Ne5+- The rest of the game is worth watching. Bxd5 20.Qf4 Nd7 21.Bb2 Nf6 22.Qf5 Qe8 23.Rg6! fxg6 24.Nxg6+ Qxg6 25.Qxg6 Bc4 26.Bxc4 Rxc4 27.Re1 Bd8 28.Rd1 Rb4 29.Bc3 Rc4 30.Rd3 Rc5 31.f4 Rc6 32.g4 Rc4 33.Be5 Bc7 34.Rc3 Rxc3 35.Bxc3 Rf8 36.g5 Bd8 1–0
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here