If you have disabled Java for your browser, use the Site Map (linked in the header and footer).

Chessville
logo by
ChessPrints
 

Chess
Supplies
at the
Chessville
Chess
Store!
Sets, Boards,
Clocks, Bags,
Books,
Software,
and Much
Much More!

Place Your Ad
in Chessville
or in
The Chessville
Weekly

Advertise to
thousands
of chess
fans for
as little
as $25.

Single insert:
$35
x4 insert:
@ $25 each.

Submit your
ad here!
 

Pablo's
Chess
News

Problem
of the
Week

Reference
Center
 

Book
Reviews
 

Annotated
Games

Bologan - Radjabov
Dortmund 2003

[Click here to follow the game on an interactive JavaScript board]
 

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 d6 6.0-0

6.Nd2 preparing N-f1-e3 is another possibility to fight for  advantage.

6...Nf6 7.Ng5

Attacking the f7 pawn and preparing the  next move.

7...0-0 8.f4 Bg4

Black has the following continuations: 8...exf4 9.Bxf4 h6 or the direct 8…h6 to which White has the interesting reply 9.Nh3!?

9.Qe1

Or 9.Nf3 exf4 10.Bxf4 Nd4 11.Kh1 (Anand-Van Wely, Melody Amber 2003).

9...exf4 10.Bxf4 Nd4 11.Qd2

After 11.e5!? dxe5 12.Bxe5 Bh5 13.Qd2 Nc6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nge4 Bd4+ 16.Kh1 Ne5  Black has the more active position. (Shirov-Leko, Melody Amber 2003).

11...Qd7 12.Be3

12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 (13.Kh2 is also possible) Bg6 14.Nd5 b5 15.Bb3 Bd8  The position is unclear. (Ponomariov-Radjabov, Linares 2003).

12.a4 h6 13.Nf3 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Be6 15.Kh1 Kh7 16.Bb5 Qd8 17.d4 cxd4 18.Ne2 Nh5 19.Bg3 Nxg3+ 20.hxg3 Bg5= (Kramnik-Grischuk, Wijk aan Zee 2003, ˝-˝)

12...h6

After 12...a6 Black got a quick draw: 13.Bxd4 cxd4 14.Ne2 h6 15.Nf3 d5 16.exd5 Bxf3 17.Rxf3 Nxd5 18.Nxd4 ( Nisipeanu-Van Wely, 14th IECC, Istanbul  2003,  ˝-˝)

13.Nf3 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Be6 15.Kh1 Kh7

Parrying the threat of Bxh6.  Too dangerous is 15...d5? 16.exd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 (17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Qxh6 Bg5 Black  has beaten off the attack...21 Qh5 Kg7 22.h4?? Rh8! White’s plight is comical. -NSH) 17...Bxd5 18.Bxh6 Bf6 (18...gxh6 19.Qxh6+-) 19.Qg2 Bc6 20.Ne4! (20.Rg1 Kh7!  is unclear) 20...Bxe4 21.fxe4 Bxb2 22.Rab1 with  the threat of Rg1 wins.

16.Bxe6

16.Rg1 is  met by 16...d5!

16...fxe6?!

Black takes risks.  After 16...Qxe6 17.Rae1 Qh3 18.Qg2 Qxg2+ 19.Kxg2 a6 20.f4 White is better (Kramnik-Degraeve, Senat  2003).

17.Qg2 Rf7 18.Rg1 Raf8 19.Ne2!

Transferring the knight to f4.

19...d5?

19...e5  is weaker on account  of 20.f4.  The CBM commentator’s (Erenburg) suggestion of  19...Ne8 is also met by the same move 20.f4!  Now White threatens 21.d4 with a fine position as mentioned  by Bologan in his notes to this game in Informant 88.

20.Nf4±

Now if  20...d4? 21.Bd2 g5 22.Ng6!

20...g5

After 21.Ne2 e5 22.h4 gxh4 23.Qg6+ Kh8 White has to worry about the threat of…Qh3+.

21.Ng6!

If 21...Kxg6 22.Bxg5 Kh7 (22…hxg5 23.Qxg5 Kh7 24.Qh4+ Nh5 25.Qxh5#) 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Qg6+ Kh8 25.Qxh6+Rh7 26.Qxf8#.  If the rook on f8 moves, the White knight moves to e5, winning the exchange.

21...Nh5! 22.Nxf8+ Rxf8 23.Qh3

In Informant 88 Bologan suggests a complex line winning with 23.f4.  But this move should lead to a clear win.

23…Kg6!

With this daring move Black saves his knight, as it is the only chance to get compensation. 23...Nf4 24.Bxf4 Rxf4 25.Rg4±

24.Raf1?

Wrong.  White should  first prevent the occupation of the f4 square by Black's minor pieces.  In Informant 88 Bologan suggests 24.Rae1.  But Erenburg’s idea is better.  24.Qg4! d4 25.Bd2 (threatening h4) wins. If 25…Bd6? 26.Bxg5!

24...d4 25.Bd2 Bd6 26.Rg4 Bf4!

White is the exchange up , but the position is not so clear.  Black is going to occupy the f4 square with the knight, and it will not be easy to win this closed position for White.

27.Bxf4 Nxf4 28.Qg3 e5 29.h4 Qe6 30.b3

30.hxg5 is always met by 30...h5!

30...b5

With the idea of getting counterplay on the queen’s side by the breakthrough c5-c4.

31.a3 Rh8 32.Qh2 Rf8 33.Qg3

If 33.hxg5 h5 (Not 33...hxg5 34.Rfg1)

33...Rh8

Now after 34.Rf2 Black gets a dangerous initiative on the queenside: 34...c4 35.bxc4 bxc4 36.Rh2 Rb8 37.Qg1 cxd3 38.hxg5 h5 39.Rxf4 exf4 40.cxd3 Qb3.

34.Rxf4?!

In Erenburg’s opinion, White hurried with the capture on f4.  He could have made this sacrifice at a more opportune moment later in the game.  But even  after his recommended move, 34.a4!?, the position is still  unclear.  34… b4 35.Rf2 Rf8! 36.Rh2 Qe7 37.Qg1 Qe6 38.hxg5 h5.

34...exf4 35.Qh2!

Preventing the transfer of the Black monarch to f7.  Not  35.Qg2 Kf7! Black is better.

35...c4

Now if 35...Kf7? 36.hxg5!  If 36…Kg7 37.Rg1±

36.Rg1 Rc8

Not  37.Qxf4?? Qh3+! +-

37.bxc4  1/2-1/2

Final Position: after 37.bxc4

Here the game was agreed drawn. The following variations give an idea of the struggle which could continue:

37.bxc4 bxc4 38.dxc4 (Erenburg gives 38.hxg5? hxg5 39.Qh4 Qe5 with the  threat of …Rh8.  But Bologan’s  suggestion of 39…Qf6 with the same idea is better.  White has no checks available on the 6^th rank.  40.Qg4 Rh8 41. Kg2 cxd342. cxd3 Rb8 43.Rc1  Rb2+ 44.Kf1  Now 44. …Qa6 is an interesting try-NSH) 38...Rxc4 39.Rg2 Rc3 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Qh8 Rxf3 (41...Re3 42.Rh2 Re1+ 43.Kg2 Re2+ 44.Kh1 Rxh2+ 45.Kxh2=) 42.Rh2 Rf1+ 43.Kg2 Qg4+ 44.Kxf1 Qd1+ 45.Kf2 Qd2+ 46.Kf3 Qe3+ 47.Kg2 Qe2+=
 

Back to ChessBase Magazine 97

Index of Annotated Games

search tips
 

The Chessville
 Weekly
The Best Chess
Newsletter
On the Planet!

Subscribe
Today!!

The
Chessville
Weekly
Archives

Discussion
Forum

Chess Links

Chess Rules

Chess Wisdom