Download PGN of July '08 KID games
Classical: The Bayonet attack
I would like to start with a game between currently the two hottest players, Carlsen, M - Ivanchuk, V, Aerosvit Foros 2008.
             |
Carlsen has just played the extremely rare 13.b5 line. A few moves later Ivanchuk sacrificed an exchange by means of 16...Ng7 with 17...Nxe6 to follow, which proved insufficient thanks to some great play from Magnus. 16...f4 followed by 17...Ng7 deserves attention.
The game L'Ami, E - Bologan, V, IX EICC Plovdiv 2008, saw a favourite line of the Moldavian player.
|
|
In the diagram position he came up with the interesting side line 13...b6. Up to Black's 25th move the position was about equal, but Bologan's mistake 25...f3? started a series of further errors , which eventually led to Black's loss. Nevertheless the line with 13...b6 looks playable.
The Orthodox with 7...exd4
Jakovenko, D - Volokitin, A, Aerosvit Foros 2008, saw the long theoretical line which occurred in the recent game Topalov, V - Mamedyarov, S, Nice 2008.
|
|
In that game White played 20.Rc3 and achieved nothing special, but here Jakovenko prepared a new idea, 20. Qd2 Qh5 and now 21.g4. White was pressing throughout the game, but Volokitin was up to the task until 35...Rxe4?, which led to a disaster.
Instead 35...Re5 promised sufficient counterplay. The assessment of the line remains unchanged, but Black has to be very precise to maintain the balance.
The Orthodox with 7...Na6
The game Vallejo Pons, F - Kempinski, R, IX EICC Plovdiv 2008, featured a relatively rare line with 10.Re1, which might yet become fashionable. Soon they reached the following position:
|
|
Here White played 14.c5!, which seems to set Black serious problems, and only a few mistakes in a virtually winning position allowed Black to escape with a draw. So Vallejo's idea deserves further tests, and right now the ball is in Black's court.
The Gligoric System
In Onischuk, A - Fedorowicz, J, Frank K Berry ch-USA 2008, Black tested the old main line of the Gligoric system, with 11...f5, instead of 11...Nd7.
|
|
In the diagram position White has just played 14.Nde4, instead of 14.0-0, which I like more. Now Black had a chance to play 14...g4, but missed it by playing 14...Bf5. Soon he came under pressure. The following mutual inaccuracies changed nothing and eventually White won a good game. I believe Black should come back to 11...Nd7, but if he insists on 11...f5 then 14...g4 has to be tested.
Unusual replies, 6...Bg4
The following two games featured the following position:
|
|
First, White played 8.Rc1 in Sokolov, I - Morozevich, A, GMA Sarajevo 2008, which I don't find really necessary. Nevertheless, Ivan managed to take the initiative with a sudden aggression on the kingside, but failed to find a decisive continuation just a half step from a win. This game proved once again that the entire setup is pretty dangerous for Black, while White can vary the lines, with good results in most of them.
The second game Jakovenko, D - Fontaine, R, TCh-FRA Top 16 Poule Haute 2008, saw 8.d5. Soon White obtained a pair of bishops, accepted a pawn sacrifice and stabilized the position, not leaving Black a single chance. Great technique and the confidence of the Russian player virtually refuted Black's pawn sacrifice.
Fianchetto
The game Guliev, S - Jobava, B, III President's Cup Baku 2008, featured the relatively rare line 8.Qc2.
|
|
The diagram position was reached after 13...cxd5. Here White played 14.Rd1, which led to some complications, instead of the most principled 14.c5. 16.Nb5? allowed Black to take the initiative, but he then returned the favour with 19...Rxd4?!. The game eventually reached the following position with an extra rook for Black:
|
|
However, White can still draw with the right move! An interesting tactical battle after all. The game shows that 8. Qc2 might not be the best option for White, though his play can be improved, i.e. 14.c5 deserves serious attention.
Enjoy the issue and see you in August. Victor
Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions with me. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at Victor@ChessPublishing.com (subscribers only) would be most welcome.