Openings

Misplaced pieces

Οκτώβριος 9, 2020 by Athanasios Basios

Τα κομμάτια που είναι άσχημα τοποθετημένα είναι το θέμα της σημερινής ανάρτησης. Θα δούμε με την ευκαιρία μία παρτίδα του Βασίλη Παργινού, ο οποίος κερδίζει εντυπωσιακά έναν πολύ καλό παίκτη από την Καβάλα, τον Ι. Δόρφανη. Συμβαίνει μερικές φορές αν και οι δύο παίκτες γνωρίζουν τους βασικούς κανόνες της ανάπτυξης και της αξιοποίησης των πιονιών στη μάχη, κάποιος από τους δύο να τους παραβεί. Ωστόσο χρειάστηκε και μαεστρικό παίξιμο από το λευκό, ώστε να αναδείξει τις αδυναμίες της θέσης του μαύρου.

[Event "GRE-chT 35th"] [Site "Ermioni Argolidas"] [Date "2006.07.08"] [Round "7"] [White "Parginos, Vassilios"] [Black "Dorfanis, Ilarion"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D15"] [WhiteElo "2177"] [BlackElo "2182"] [Annotator "athba"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2006.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 a6 5. c5 Nbd7 6. Bf4 Nh5 7. g3 Nxf4 8. gxf4 Qc7 9. e3 g6 10. Bd3 {probably now White wants to play h4-h5 and go 0-0-0.} Bg7 11. Qc2 Nf8 $2 {Black isn’t in a hurry to castle here and he tries to bring out the c8 bishop. Maybe …Bg4 and …e6 are on the agenda. The game continuation proved this to be a fatal mistake.} (11... O-O {this seems more natural. Ofcourse White’s position is preferable.} 12. h4 Nf6 13. Ne5) 12. Rg1 {Ofcourse 0-0-0 and f5 are in White’s mind and he also prevented the development of the c8 bishop.} Bd7 {Black might be thinking of Ne6 and try … Nxf4, exf4 Qxf4 with some compensation. But already it seems that his position is more difficult to play.} 13. b4 (13. Na4 Ne6 14. Nb6 Rd8 15. h4 {f5 next move} (15. O-O-O $6 Nxf4 16. exf4 Qxf4+) 15... Nxf4 16. exf4 Qxf4 17. Nxd7 Rxd7 18. Ke2 Bxd4 19. Nxd4 Qxd4 20. Qc3 Qxc3 21. bxc3 e5) (13. O-O-O Ne6 14. f5) 13... f6 $2 {Another dubious decision. Ofcourse …e5 is the idea but this move blocks the bishop and weakens a little bit the g6 square.} 14. f5 $1 (14. O-O-O e5 15. dxe5 fxe5 16. e4 d4 17. Ne2 $13) 14... e5 {…e4 is coming and something like Nxe4 isn’t that great. Thus e4! is so natural for White} (14... g5 15. h4 h6 16. Na4) 15. e4 $1 {a very tense situation but White is doing well because his knights put pressure against Black’s position while the f8 knight and the g7 bishop are passive.} exd4 $2 {The position opens up and White’s pieces find good squares to attack the enemy} 16. exd5 {with d6 in mind } (16. Nxd4 $142 dxe4 17. Nxe4 O-O-O 18. Nd6+ Kb8 $18) 16... Qf4 17. Qe2+ Kf7 18. Ne4 Kg8 (18... Re8 19. Nd6+ Qxd6 20. cxd6 Rxe2+ 21. Kxe2 Bh6 22. dxc6 Bxc6 23. Nxd4 $18) 19. Nd6 {d5xc6 and Bc4 are very dangerous threats} g5 20. Qe7 { Also mate in one move is a good idea!} h6 21. Be4 Kh7 22. h3 {the queen is trapped} h5 23. Rxg5 fxg5 24. f6+ (24. Nxg5+ Qxg5 25. f6+ Bf5 26. Bxf5+ Kh6 27. Nf7#) 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

A mistake makes all the difference!

Σεπτέμβριος 20, 2020 by Athanasios Basios

Από τον 6ο γύρο της Γερμανικής Λίγκας η παρτίδα μεταξύ των Jorden van Foreest και Blohberger Felix. Ένα λάθος στο μέσο της παρτίδας (18…Qxg2) επέτρεψε στο λευκό να πετύχει το στρατηγικό του σχεδιασμό.

[Event "Schachbundesliga Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.09.19"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Van Foreest, Jorden"] [Black "Blohberger, Felix"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C42"] [WhiteElo "2682"] [BlackElo "2467"] [Annotator "athba"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Netherlands"] [BlackTeam "Austria"] [WhiteTeamCountry "NED"] [BlackTeamCountry "AUT"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nc3 Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 7. Be3 { White goes for queenside castling in this set up} Nc6 8. Bc4 O-O 9. Qe2 Bf5 10. O-O-O Qd7 11. h4 {The problem for White is that there aren’t any targets in Black’s position. He inserts h4 and he gets the g5 square for the knight, possibly the rook lift with Rh3.Still the computer doesn’t approve his play. But in order to understand White’s idea watch what might happen if Black plays 12…h6. (see variation on the next move)} (11. h3 Rae8 12. g4 Be4 13. Rhg1 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Ne5 15. Qe2 Nxc4 16. Qxc4 Bd8) 11... Rae8 12. Qd2 Na5 $6 (12... h6 13. Bxh6 gxh6 14. Qxh6 Bd8 15. Rh3 $16) 13. Bd3 Qa4 (13... Bxd3 $6 14. Qxd3 Qe6 15. Ng5 Qg6 16. Qd5) 14. Kb1 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Qxc4 16. Nd4 Bd7 17. b3 Qd5 18. c4 Qxg2 $2 {opens up the g file and White’s attack becomes dangerous.} (18... Qe5 19. Nb5 Bxb5 20. Bd4 Qf5 21. g4 Qd7 22. cxb5 Qxb5 23. Qc3) 19. Rhg1 { this allows Black to capture the h4 in one of the possible variations and defend the position. In the game it didn’t actually matter at all.} (19. Rdg1 Qe4 20. f3 Qe5 21. Nb5 f6 (21... Bxb5 22. Bd4) 22. Nxc7 Rc8 23. Nd5 $18) 19... Qe4 20. f3 Qe5 (20... Qxh4 21. Nb5 Bxb5 22. Bd4 f6 23. cxb5 Qh5 24. Qd3 d5) 21. Nb5 Bf6 22. Bd4 Qf5 23. Nxc7 Re5 24. Nd5 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

A tense battle

Σεπτέμβριος 19, 2020 by Athanasios Basios

Μία έντονη μάχη ανάμεσα στον Erwin L’ Ami και τον Fabiano Caruana, όπου η πλευρική επίθεση εν τέλει αποδείχθηκε πιο επικίνδυνη από το παιχνίδι στο κέντρο. Ο μαύρος από ό,τι φαίνεται καθυστέρησε μία κίνηση (13…Πε8?! αντί 13…ε4!?) και αυτός ο χρόνος ήταν αρκετός για τον λευκό, ώστε να οργανώσει μία αποφασιστική επίθεση!

[Event "Schachbundesliga Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.09.18"] [Round "4.1"] [White "L'Ami, Erwin"] [Black "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "2620"] [BlackElo "2835"] [Annotator "athba"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Netherlands"] [BlackTeam "United States"] [WhiteTeamCountry "NED"] [BlackTeamCountry "USA"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 h6 5. Bf4 Bb4 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bd2 O-O 8. g3 (8. e4 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Be7 10. Bd3) 8... Nxc3 9. bxc3 Ba5 10. g4 $5 {…h6 has created a hook and White tries to open up the kingside.} c5 $1 {Typical. Immediately Caruana answers with a central attack against the flank attack that White tries to organise.} 11. Rg1 Nc6 {Black would like to play 12… c5xd4, 13. cxd4 and 13…e5} 12. dxc5 e5 {…e4 is the threat} 13. Qc2 Re8 $6 { a slow move} (13... e4 $5 14. Nd4 e3 15. fxe3 (15. Bxe3 Nxd4 16. Bxd4 Qxd4) 15... Qh4+ 16. Kd1 (16. Rg3 Bc7) 16... Qf2 {Black is two pawns down but White’s army is completely disorganized}) 14. g5 g6 {his idea is to close the kingside with …h5 next move but …} 15. gxh6 e4 16. Ng5 Bf5 17. O-O-O Qf6 { Caruana takes the queen away from the d1 rook and renews the …e3 threat} ( 17... e3 18. Bxe3 Bxc2 19. Rxd8 Bxd8 20. Kxc2 Bxg5 21. Rxg5 {with h4 and h5 coming}) 18. Bh3 e3 19. Bxf5 exd2+ 20. Rxd2 Re5 21. Nxf7 Qxf7 22. Bxg6 Qxf2 23. Bf7+ Kh8 (23... Kxf7 24. Qh7+ Kf6 25. Rd6+ Re6 26. Qg6+ Ke7 27. Qxe6+ Kf8 28. Rg8#) 24. Qg6 Rg5 25. Rxg5 Bxc3 26. Kc2 Ne7 27. Qe4 Bf6 28. Re5 Rf8 29. e3 Qf1 30. Bc4 Qa1 31. Rxe7 Qc3+ 32. Kd1 Qa1+ 33. Kc2 Qc3+ 34. Kd1 Qa1+ 35. Ke2 Bxe7 36. Qd4+ {being three pawns up is enough} Qxd4 37. exd4 Rf4 38. Bd5 Bf6 39. Ke3 Rh4 40. Rd3 Rh3+ 41. Kd2 Rxh2+ 42. Kc3 Kh7 43. Bxb7 Rxa2 44. Kb3 Ra1 45. c6 Bd8 46. d5 Ba5 47. d6 Rc1 48. Rd5 Bd8 49. Rd4 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

Chess over the board (Schachbundesliga 2020)

Σεπτέμβριος 17, 2020 by Athanasios Basios

Σε μία προσπάθεια επιστροφής στην κανονικότητα διεξάγεται στην Καρλσρούη (το διάστημα από 16 έως 20 Σεπτεμβρίου) το πρωτάθλημα Γερμανίας. Από εκεί και η σημερινή παρτίδα με τον R. Rapport να κερδίζει με επιθετικό στυλ τον αντίπαλό του.

[Event "Schachbundesliga Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.09.17"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Studer, Noel"] [Black "Rapport, Richard"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D30"] [WhiteElo "2573"] [BlackElo "2760"] [Annotator "athba"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [WhiteTeam "Switzerland"] [BlackTeam "Hungary"] [WhiteTeamCountry "SUI"] [BlackTeamCountry "HUN"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 {the triangle set up} 4. Nbd2 f5 {which turns into a stonewall formation} 5. g3 Nd7 6. Bg2 Nh6 {the knight will go to f7 covering the e5 square.} 7. Qc2 Nf7 8. b3 g5 {since the position remains closed black can afford such moves.} 9. e3 Bd6 10. Bb2 a5 11. h4 g4 12. Ng1 O-O 13. Ne2 Nf6 14. Nf4 Qe7 15. O-O Nh8 {The idea is to go Ng6 and put some pressure on the f4 knight.} 16. c5 Bc7 17. a3 Ng6 18. b4 $2 {Probably White underestimated the dangerous sacrifice for two or three pawns that follows in the game.} (18. Nb1 Nxf4 19. exf4 Nh5 20. Qd2 $14) 18... Nxf4 $1 19. exf4 Nh5 20. Rfe1 Nxf4 21. gxf4 Bxf4 22. Nc4 Qxh4 (22... dxc4 23. d5 cxd5 24. Bxd5) 23. Nb6 e5 $5 24. Nxd5 (24. Nxa8 $2 Bh2+ 25. Kf1 f4 {with …f3 coming and Black is winning}) (24. Nxc8 $2 e4 {white doesn’t have the time to play slow. Those pawns are coming!} 25. Nd6 $2 Bh2+ 26. Kf1 f4) (24. dxe5 {is the computers suggestion} Bh2+ 25. Kf1 f4 26. f3) 24... cxd5 25. Rxe5 (25. Bxd5+ Rf7 $1 26. Rxe5 (26. Bxf7+ Kxf7 27. Qb3+ Be6 28. d5 Bd7 29. c6 bxc6 30. dxc6+ Be6 $19) 26... Kf8 27. Bxf7 Qh2+ 28. Kf1 Bxe5 29. dxe5 Kxf7 30. e6+ Bxe6 $19) 25... Bh2+ 26. Kf1 Bxe5 27. Bxd5+ Kg7 28. dxe5 axb4 29. Ke2 (29. axb4 Rxa1+ 30. Bxa1 Be6 31. Bxe6 Qh1+ 32. Ke2 Qxa1 $17) 29... Rxa3 30. Bxa3 bxa3 31. Qc3 f4 32. Rxa3 f3+ 33. Ke3 Qg5+ 34. Kd3 Rd8 35. Qd4 Be6 {the deadly pin!} 0-1 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.