Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Bayonet Attack: Kramnik's Approach

by
Sans Riumin

Kramnik's Bayonet Attack
1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. g3 f5 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Bf3c6 13. Bg2 N


In the Bayonet Attack of the King's Indian defense, a special variation from Kramnik had made a strong impression towards KID players. The variation runs like this: 1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. g3 f5 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. Bf3c6 13. Bg2 N. Players from the Black side tried to find new ways to battle it , looking for new alternatives on the previous moves. Here I will discus a sample game played by two strong grandmasters. I shall do my best to provide to you suggestions that may help you get insights and some understanding on this particular line :)

Wojtaszek,Radoslaw (2717) - Morovic Fernandez,Ivan (2575) [E97]
 Istanbul ol (Men) 40th Istanbul (3.1), 30.08.2012

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 The Bayonet Attack, a favorite of V.Kramnik.

9..Nh5 10.g3
                     
   

10.Re1 f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 For a long time has been Kramnik's main weapon against the KID., but later Black has able to find some fine method of defending the position.

10...f5 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.Bf3 c6 :


But if Black players tried not to engage Kramnik's novelty 13.Bg2. For example. 12...fxe4 :

                 
         

The move relieves the tension. 13.Ncxe4 Nf5 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 Rb8 16.Bb2 Qe7 17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.c5 dxc5 19.bxc5 Qxc5 20.Rc1 Qb6 21.Qe2 Rbe8 22.Bd5 Re7 23.Bxe5 c6 24.Bc4 Bxe5 25.Qxe5 Qd4 26.Qe1 Qf6 , with equal play. Nguyen,DH 2492-Paragua,M. 2533, Ho Chi Minh City HD Bank op (3), 2013.;
and
12...Rb8

                      

     

13.b5 h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 Qc8 16.Ba3 Rd8 17.Nd5 Qxe6 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Nxc7 Qxc4 20.Rc1 Qf7 21.Qa4 Nc8 22.Rfd1 e4 23.Be2= Wang,H.2733 -Ding,L. 2660, CHN-chT Beijing(5), 2012.

13.Bg2 :

                      
 

This was Kramnik's novelty played in the same year against A.Grischuk in Moscow. 13.Ba3 was played by Kramnik against Giri game (Hoogeveens 2011), the play continued 13...cxd5 14.exd5 e4 15.Be2 Here Black could have played  15...h6 16.Ne6 Bxe6 17.dxe6 f4! with strong counterplay.

13...h6 14.Ne6 Bxe6 15.dxe6 fxe4

15...Nxe4 16.Nxe4 fxe4 17.b5 Rf6 18.Bxe4 Rxe6 19.Qa4 d5 20.Rd1 White's has the initiative for the missing pawn. Kramnik 2801–-Grischuk 2761, Moscow Tal Memorial 7th(2), 2012.

16.b5 d5

16...Re8 would be better, staying away fron the a3-f8 diagonal.

17.Ba3 Re8 18.cxd5 cxd5 19.Qb3 Qb6 20.Bxe7 Rxe7 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Qxd5 e3 :

                       

22...Rd8 is the correct attacking play for an equality. 23.Qxe4 Qxe6

22.fxe3 Qxe3+ 24.Kh1 Qb6 25.Rad1 Rae8?

If  25...Qxe6 , then 26.Qxe6+ Rxe6 27.Bd5; So 25...Kh8 , moving away from the in is more logical.

 26.Be4

Too many weak spots for Black in the kingside, White should win.

26...g5 27.Bg6 Rf8 28.Rxf8+ Bxf8 29.Bf7+ 1-0



Black resigns, play might continue with 29...Rxf7 [29...Kh8 30.Qxe5+ Kh7 31.Qf6 wins.; 29...Kh7 30.Qe4+ with same outcome as 29...Kh8.] 30.exf7+ Kh8 31.Qxe5+ Kh7 32.Qf5+ Kg7 33.h4. Kramnik's new move proves to be an excellent idea! Only Morovic has the balls to try it but with no avail. Now seems like Black players on the KID tried to avoid it, let's see, time will tell.




Thursday, March 6, 2014

Cebu's Edilberto Velarde Sr. Tournament

Submitted by Aldwin Daculan
Edited by Guy Chessman

Two weeks ago, I was told that there would be a small tournament at Barangay Pajac in Lapu-Lapu, Cebu. The tournament would be in honor of someone from the Velarde family. The Velarde family is known to be the home of the chess kiddie wonder, Jerish Velarde. But this tournament was not about the kid... it was about the kid's grandfather who just turned 77 last month. Just two days ago, Aldwin Daculan submitted to me a list of the top 10 winners of the small tournament. Though the tournament was small, it included very strong Cebuano masters, with some of them who have already have a good reputation outside Cebu. The Negrense, Edsel Montoya, won this event ahead of tournament favorites Kim Yap and Eden Diano. 
Meanwhile, The blitz sensation NM Merben Roque, "only" managed to place fifth in the overall standings. Still a respectable position though.
The organizer of the tournament was Engr. Edilberto Jr (Jerish Velarde's father) while the arbiters were Rigil Amacna and Peterson Sia. FYI, Peterson Sia is Cebu's most famous "chess bookworm". Hehe.
 Here is the complete list of winners of the said event. 

1st- Montoya

 2nd-Diano 
3rd-IM Yap 
4th-Lepalam 
5th-NM Roque 
6th-Cablao 
7th-NM Cadiz 
8th-Sia 
9th-Pepito 
10-Uy 


"A Pest in The Budapest?"

Nowadays the 6.Bd2 variation of the Budapest Gambit rarely occurs in tournament at any level. A surprise weapon shall I say, I Black needed a win.

Berkovich (2350) - Peev (2320) [A52]
Pavekeni, 1992
[ IM Dmitry Berkovich]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Bd2!?


Not even considered in John Nunn's Chess Openings! Mostly 6. Nc3, 6.b3 and 6.Be2 had been played here, it was played first by the great Cuban Jose Capablanca at London,1919!
6...Ngxe5

6...0–0 would also transposed to our line.

7.Nxe5 Nxe5 8.Bc3 Qe7

Black should be careful here, 8...d6 9.b4 Bb6 10.c5; and 8...f6 9.Bxe5 fxe5 10.Qh5+ are bad for Black.

9.Nd2 0–0 10.Be2 a5 11.Qc2 Ra6

with the idea of transfering the rook to the kingside to gain some attack.

12.Nb3 Bb4 13.0–0–0!?



With this move, it neutrtalizes the idea of Black to transfer the rook on the kingside, and now it simply stands bad on a6.

13...Bxc3

13...a4 14.Nd4 intending to play 15. Nf5 Qc5 16. Rd5.; The simple  13...d6 is possible alternative intending to give Black's last piece into to enter the game, but the rook on a6 looks misplaced.


14.Qxc3 a4 15.Nd4 d6

White gains the initiative in the endgame by this temporary pawn sacrifice. 

16.c5! dxc5!


 If Black declines the offering by 16...Ra8 gives White an unpleasant pressure in the center and in the queenside with 17.cxd6 cxd6 18.Qa3 This prevents the possible ...a3 move.

17.Bxa6 cxd4 18.exd4

Not 18.Rxd4 bxa6 19.Re4 f6 20.f4 Bf5

18...Ng4 19.Bd3 Nxf2 20.Rhe1 Nxd1

20...Qh4 is also possible, for example: 21.Re2 Nxd3+ 22.Rxd3 Qxh2 23.d5 with roughly equal play.

21.Rxe7 Nxc3 22.bxc3

White here has a slight edge in the endgame, because White's pieces are more active and Black's queenside pawns are rather shaky, for they can easily be attacked by White's king.

22...c6 23.Kb2 g6 24.Ka3 Kg7

If 24...b5 , then 25.Be4 with a huge advantage for White.

 25.Kxa4 Be6 26.Kb4 Bxa2 27.c4!


 This is more accurate than 27.Rxb7?! Bd5 28.Kc5 Forced. 29... c5 is the threat. 28...Bxg2 29.Rb2 (29.Rc7 h5 30.Ra7 Rd8 31.c4) 29...Bh1 30.Rb1 with equal play.

27...b5

If 27...b6? 28.Ra7+-]

28.cxb5 cxb5 29.Bxb5

Now the smoke is cleared and White has a cental passed pawn, but with correct play, Black can hold this endgame, but I prefer to play with White here.

29...Rd8 30.Rd7

30.Re2 is also possible here, with the idea to place the rook behind the passed pawn.

 30...Rxd7?



This is already a bad idea by Black. Keeping the rook would be difficult for White to exploit his passed pawn. [30...Rc8 was far more better.

31.Bxd7 Kf6 32.Kc5 Ke7 33.Bb5 f5 34.d5 f4 35.d6+ Kd8 36.Bd3

36.Kd4 is better, going to the kingside and attack the pawns the idea.

 36...Bf7 37.Kd4 h6 38.Ke5 g5 39.Be4

39.Bb5 is another alternative.]

 39...Kd7 40.Bf3

40.g3 immediately is more direct.

 40...Bc4 41.Bg4+ Kd8 42.g3 fxg3 43.hxg3


 Zugzwang!

43...Bf7 44.Kf6 Be8 45.Be6 g4 46.Bxg4 h5 47.Be2
 1–0
This game gives me a good impression of playing 6.Bd2 line against the Budapest, though I must admit that in  this game, Black played excellently in the opening and in the middlegame but a couple of inaccurate moves in the endgame causes his fall.The 6.Bd2 line deserve futher practical test.


Here's the PGN DOWNLOAD if you guys wanna view this game on your Chessbase softwares:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-PXUPMH0sUhbTdXVzJMaEhtWjg/edit?usp=sharing


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