EU-ch 12th (Aix-les-Bains), 04/01/2011
Round 10 [Polgar,J]
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1.e4 c6 2.d4
d5 I had the feeling that my opponent would
choose the Caro-Kann but he also plays other moves like 1...e5 on move one. 3.e5 I have surprised my opponent because it was clear to me it was not what he expected. I have played during my career the Panov attack and 3.Nc3 also 3.f3 a few times. The game move is one I have tried only once a long time ago in a rapid game. 3...Bf5  4.Nd2 I had prepared this line some time ago and this was the time to test it in a practical game! 4...e6 5.Nb3 This early Nd2-b3 manoeuvre came into fashion not long ago. Generally it is always nice to try out new directions specially when there is not a lot of accumulated theory on the line. The idea behind this manoeuvre is to stop Black from playing ...c5 quickly. 5...Nd7 6.Nf3 Bg6 7.Be2 My opponent had 2 games on this line previously which I found in my big database collection. 7...Nh6 This move is the most frequently played here. 8 other options have been tried out in tournament practice. The most common other options are 7....Ne7 which may transpose later on to the ...Nh6, 7...Rc8 was played by my opponent in 2010. 8.  9...Rc8 It was clear that my opponent is playing for ...c5 to open up the position. There was a game Almasi against Medvegy where Black played ...c5 immediately which was very similar to my game by the way. 9...Be7 is the main line. | ||
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[9...c5 10.dxc5
Bxc5 11.Nxc5 Nxc5
12.Bb5+ Nd7 13.Bg5
Qc7 14.c4 a6
15.Bxd7+ Qxd7
16.cxd5 exd5 17.Qd2
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10.Bf4 I could only find one game with
the Bf4 idea, which was played after ...Be7 instead of ...Rc8. Clearly there will be many games more
to come from strong players in the future on this line too I believe. 10...c5 I think this is too early, Black wants to save time and bring the bishop out in one move from its initial square. Black could play ...Be7 and castle next to play for ...f6 breaking up the centre. 11.dxc5 Bxc5  12.Nxc5 It was obvious to take the bishop pair off the board. 12...Nxc5 | ||
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[After 12...Rxc5 White
is slightly better. 13.h3 for example is an option to stop Black from playing ...Bh5, then I would develop with my queen and bring the rook to d1.] | ||
| 13.Bb5+ Nd7 14.Bg5 Qc7?! | ||
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[14...Ne7!? would avoid the big complications 15.Nd4 a6 is a must, losing some time but... | ||
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(15... 16.Qa4 Nxe5 17.Qb4 taking advantage of the pin 17...Rc7 18.Bf4 now another pin is causing trouble for Black.) | ||
| 16.Bxd7+ Qxd7 17.Bxe7 Qxe7 I think White has a pleasant game.] | ||
15.c4! I was looking forward to playing
this move when I played my previous move Bg5.  15...a6 This was the most logical reply. | ||
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[15...dxc4 would lose on the spot because
of the immediate 16.Rc1 and Black is losing material within a few moves.] | ||
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I think 16.Bxd7+ was expected by the audience even probably by my opponent, but I
was very much in the mood for sacrificing. I had won my previous 3 games. I had the self confidence to
do so. After calculating many lines I decided to go for the complications. 16.cxd5!! axb5 17.Rc1 Qb8 Pretty much forcing. | ||
| [After 17...Nc5 both moves b4 and g4 are very good.] | ||
18.dxe6 fxe6  19.Qb3 This is the critical position how should Black defend the e6-pawn. Black has many options to choose from - Kf7, Nf8, Bf7, Rc4 and I have checked 0-0 as well during the game, because it is very important to know if the black king is forced to stay in the centre or can escape and castle. These are the most difficult things to decide in a practical game with lots of tension, to decide what is the best defence out of the many possibilities. 19...Nf8 This is the wrong decision. | ||
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[19... 20.Qxe6+ Rf7 21.Rxc8+ Qxc8 and now my other rook is coming into play on the c-file 22.Rc1 Qf8 | ||
| (22...Qb8 23.Qd5 I have seen it until this point during the game) | ||
| 23.Qb3 and e6 comes very soon to decide the game.] | ||
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[19...Rc4 yes, ...Rc4 and ...Kf7 are the
2 choices to stay in the battle 20.Rxc4 | ||
| (20.Qxb5 then Rxc1 21.Rxc1 and h6) | ||
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(20.Rfd1 would be also interesting then 20...h6 and after 21.Qxb5 Rc7 the only but a good move 22.Rxc7 Qxc7 Black saves himself, probably White has to make a draw with 23.Rc1 Qb8 and Rd1 back) | ||
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20...bxc4 21.Qxc4 and
now without the rooks already to play 21...Bf7 is much better for Black then with the rooks on the c-file 22.g4 would definitely come with a lot of complications to come, and White has great compensation.] | ||
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[19...Kf7!? It seems to me now that it
is the best reply in this position. 20.Qxb5 Rc6 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Qxc6 Nxe5 23.Nxe5+ Qxe5 24.Qb7+ Kf8  ] | ||
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[19...Bf7 would be too passive 20.Rxc8+ Qxc8 21.Rc1 Qb8 and now after 22.g4 I blundered during the game in thinking that 0-0 is a nice defensive try 22... | ||
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(22...Ne7 which would be the natural reply 23.Qb4 Nd5 and 24.Qd6 is a great spot for the queen with a fantastic position for White) | ||
| 23.Qxb5 Be8 24.gxf5 Rxf5 25.Qb3 with advantage for White.] | ||
20.Qxb5+ Kf7
21.Rxc8 Qxc8  22.Rc1 I have another rook to come to the c-file. 22...Qb8 Logical move, not to allow White's rook to the 7th rank. | ||
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[22...Qa8 would lose on the spot after 23.g4 when Nh6 then 24.Rc7+ Kg8 25.Bxh6 gxh6 and 26.Qb4 wins.] | ||
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[22...Qe8 is not better either: 23.Qxb7+ Kg8 24.Rc7 h6 and now 25.g4 with a winning attack.] | ||
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[22...Qd7 is unfortunate, but is losing
on the spot as well: 23.Qxd7+ Nxd7 24.Rc7! and Black is losing material because on ...Ke8, Rc8+ would win the rook in the corner! 24...Ke8 25.Rc8+  ] | ||
| 23.g4 | ||
| [23.Qb6 would have been another option to reach the 7th rank with the rook.] | ||
| 23...Nh6 | ||
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[23...Ne7 was the other option for Black
but it was not very tempting for him I guess 24.Bxe7 Kxe7 25.Qc5+ is best of the different continuations for White 25...Kf7 26.Ng5+ Kg8 and now a beautiful touch to the attack 27.Nxe6!! Nxe6 28.Qc8+ Qxc8 29.Rxc8+ and the material advantage wins the game after ...Kf7, Rxh8. 29...Nf8 30.e6 e7 is indefensible.] | ||
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24.Qb4 Looking at the e7-square for
the queen and then following the queen to the 7th rank with the rook to c7. 24...Kg8 To be honest I did not feel at all like taking the badly placed knight at h6 but I decided that I would like to simplify the position. 25.Nd4 was extremely strong. 25.Bxh6 gxh6  26.Qe7 Basically continuing my plan which I started with 24.Qb4. 26...Qe8 The only move to try to kick out my queen from e7. 27.Qxb7 Qa4 Looking for counter chances. 28.b4 It was about time to start to push my pawns and aim to queen one of them. 28...Be8 Looking for regrouping the knight possibly to g6 and reach the long diagonal for the bishop trying to get more active. 29.Qe7 | ||
| [29.Nd2 with the idea to attack the king by Ne4-f6 came seriously in consideration, which is what the engine suggests.] | ||
| 29...Qd7 | ||
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[29...Bc6 This move would have been the
logical continuation of the previous black move I have planned Nd4 but the computer suggestion is quite interesting here: 30.h3 Bxf3 31.Rc8 Qd1+ 32.Kh2 Qh1+ 33.Kg3 Qg2+ 34.Kf4 Qh2+ unbelievable 35.Ke3 Qxe5+ 36.Kxf3 Qd5+ 37.Kg3 Qe5+ 38.Kh4 Qg5+ 39.Qxg5+ hxg5+ 40.Kxg5 h6+ 41.Kh5 but who can calculate all this? Would anybody be brave enough to enter such a line when the position is just great for White?] | ||
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30.Rc7 This was my main point by playing
Qe7. 30...Qxe7 31.Rxe7 Bc6 32.Nd4 Finally I ca n bring my knight into the attack; even though it is an endgame the black king can be easily in danger. 32...Bd5 33.b5 Ng6 34.Rc7 Nxe5  35.f4 I wanted to keep my initiative, but b6 was winning and I know that most of the people would find it more practical. | ||
| [35.b6 Nf7 36.Rc8+ Kg7 37.Nxe6+ Kf6 38.Rxh8 Nxh8 and 39.Nd8! practically wins the game, Black cannot stop b7 and then the d5-bishop has to be given for the b-pawn. Then White has too many pawns and should win shortly.] | ||
| 35...Nf7 | ||
| [35...Ng6 36.f5 is horrible for Black.] | ||
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36.f5 Still attacking. 36...exf5 37.Nxf5 It is very fficult to make a move with Black. It makes it specially unpleasant to play this position with Black. 37...Be6 the only move which enables him to play on. 38.b6 Bxf5 39.gxf5 Kg7  40.b7 I have reached the 7th rank and was looking to get my a-pawn there as well. 40...Rb8 Otherwise Rc8 would win the game. 41.a4 Kf6 42.a5 Nd6 43.a6 I am just in time with my pawn. 43...Kxf5 | ||
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[43...Re8 would lose to 44.Rc6 Ke5 45.Rxd6 Kxd6 46.a7 and one of the pawns queens on the next move.] | ||
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44.a7 Rg8+
45.Kf2 Nxb7
46.Rxb7 The position is completely lost
for Black. 46...Ra8 I was kind of surprised that my opponent was playing on... 47.Ke3 47.Kg3 and going on the kingside was a win as well. 47...Ke5 48.Rxh7 Rc8 49.Kd3 Kd5 50.Rxh6 Kc5  51.Ra6 Ra8 52.h4 I became even more curious as to why my opponent was still playing this dead lost position, but when I realised the trick he is playing for I forgave him:) 52...Kb5 53.Ra1 Kb6 54.Kc4 | ||
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[54.Kc4 for practical reasons this was
the best 54...Kb7 55.Kb5 Rh8 | ||
| (55...Rxa7 56.Rxa7+ Kxa7 57.h5 White queens the pawn in the next 3 moves) | ||
| (55...Kc7 56.Ka6 Rh8 57.Rc1+ Kd6 58.Kb7 now white queens on the other side the pawn) | ||
| 56.a8=Q+] | ||
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[and here if I were to go h5 the trick would be ... 54.h5 Kb7 55.h6 Rd8+ 56.Ke4 Ka8 57.h7?? wow I would just make a draw after | ||
| (57.Rb1) | ||
| 57...Rh8 58.Rh1 ...and 58...Rxh7!! 59.Rxh7 with stalemate, but 57.Rb1 for example leave the a7-pawn to be taken and White would queen the h-pawn.] | ||
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1-0 | ||
