hello All

I was so mad at some individuals that I have decided to post a copy of my own Fide Diploma.

Kramnik – Kasparov
London (6th matchgame) 2000
Queen’s Gambit Accepted

1. d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 e6 4 .e3 c5 5. Bxc4 a6 6. 0-0 Nf6 7. a4 Nc6 8. Qe2 cxd4 9. Rd1 Be7 10. exd4 0-0 11. Nc3

A very well known position arising from the Queen's Gambit Accepted. White's pieces are again on active “e” square, but black also has positional trumps. Earlier on white played a2-a4 to prevent Black expanding on the queenside with ... b7-b5. This has left black with an outpost on b4, which may be used by the Knight on c6.

11. ... Nd5

Black prevents Whites from playing an early d4-d5 by simply blocking the pawn. This is a theoretical position which has been assessed in various places as either equal or a slight advantage to Whites.11.... Nb4 also preventing d4-d5 is Black's main alternative here.

12 Bb3

Whites has many other moves, including 12. Qe4 and 12. Bd3 Ncb4 13. Bb1 in the latter variation white's rook on a1 looks entombed, but white can often activate it with the imaginative Ra3.12.... Re8 13. h4!?

Cutting edge stuff! As you may or may not know :-) h2-h4 is a common way for white to play in an attempt to soften up Black's kingside after ... g7-g6 but playing this early is a Kramnik inspired idea...

13. ... Ncb4


In his notes in Informator Kramnik gives the continuation 13. … Bxh4 14. Nxh4 Nxc3 15. bxc3 Qxh4 16. d5 Na5 17. Bc2, when has good compensation for the pawn.

14. h5

Kramnik continues the charge. The h pawn will be pushed to h6, thus inducing Black to make some sort of permanent weakness in his kingside. This plan is quite double edged, as the pawn itself on h6 can become a weakness, as well as a thorn in Black’s side.

4. … b6 Ne5

Amore recent example is 15.Bd2 Bb7 16.h6 g6
17.Ne4 a5 18.Bc4 f6 19.Rac1 Bc6 20.b3 Qd7 21.Re1 Kh8 22.Nh2 Na2 23.Rcd1 Nab4 24.Ng4 Bd8 25.Bxb4 axb4 26.Qf3 Qf7 27.Nd6 1-0 Stefansson- Izoria European Championship Ohrid 2001

15. .. Bb7 16. a5!

16. … b5!?

A risky decision as now White has access to the c5 square as an outpost. 16. … bxa5? 17. B14 Rf8 18. h6 g6 19. Nd7 Re8 20. Qe5 Nf6 21. Nc5 Bc6 22. Nxe6! Is gooid for white, but 16. … Rc8!? May be Black’s best move.

17. h6 g6 18. Ne4 Nc7?

This unforced retreat is a definite mistake. The natural 18. … Rc8 is stronger.

19. Nc5?!

19. Bd2 Bd5 ( 19. … Qxd4 20. Ng5, gives White a powerful attack) 20. Bxd5 Ncxd5 21. Rac1 gives Whites a clear advantage according to Kramnik.

19. ….Nc5 Bd5 20.Ra3 Nc6 21.Bxd5

21. Nxc6!? Bxc6 22. Bc2 keeps an edge according to the Slovakian GM Lubomir Ftacnick.

21. .. Qxd5 22.Ncd7 Rad8!

Kasparov shows defensive ingenuity. 22. … Qg4 wins the pinned Knight on d4, while 22. … f6 23. Rad3! Fxe5 24. dxe5 Qc4( or 24. … Qa2 25. Rc3) 25. Nb6 is very good for white.

23.Nxc6 Rxd7 24.Nxe7+ Rexe7 25.Rc3 f6 26.Be3 Kf7

Black have managed to simplify but White still has control of the c5 square and the c-file, while h6 could yet prove to be either a strength or a weakness.

27.Rdc1 Qb7 28.Rc5 Nd5 29.Qf3 Nb4 30.Qe2 Rc7!?

Perhaps the match situation of being a game down persuades Kasparov to play for a win. Objectively Black should repeat with 30. … Nd5

31.Bf4 Rxc5 32.dxc5 e5 33.Qd2!

White’s passed pawn on c5 gives him the better chances.

Nc6 34.Qd5+ Kf8 35.Be3 Qd7 36.Qf3 Kf7 37.Rd1 e4 38.Qe2 Qf5 39.Rd6 Re6 40.Rd7+ Re7 41.Rd6 Re6 42.Qd1 g5?

42. … Rxd6 Qxd6 44. Qc7+ Ne7 45. Bd4 Qd5 is equal ( kramnik)

43.Qh5+ Ke7 44.Qd1 Kf7?

44. ... Ke8! 45. Rd7 Re7 46. Rxe7+ Nxe7 47. Qd6. Qd7

45.Rd7+

now kramnik hits upon the right idea

45. … Kg6 46.Rg7+ Kxh6 47.Qd7 Re5 48.Qf7

Now Black is in virtual zugzwang

48. … Rd5 49.Kh1 Nd8 50.Rxh7+ Qxh7 51.Qxd5 Kg6+ 52.Kg1 Qc7 53.Qg8+ Kf5 54.Qd5+ Kg6 55.Qxe4+ Kg7 56.Qa8?
in a hurry to win the a6 pawn, Kramnik creates a problem for himself.

56. Qd5! Nc6 57. Bd4 Kg6 58. Bc3 gives white a decisive advantage.

56. … Qd7

57.Kh2

White still retains some winning chances after 57. f3

57. … Qd3 58.g3
Or 58. Qxa6 Qh7+ 59. Kg3 Qh4+ 60 Kf3 f5 and suddenly Black has counter play against the White King

58. … Nf7 59.Qb7 Kg6 60.Qxa6 Ne5 61.Qa8 Ng4+ 62.Kh3 Qf5!

Kasparov counter attack is assuming dangerous position, so much to that Kramnik now decides to bail out by giving perpetual check.

63.Qg8+ Kh6 64.Qh8+ Kg6 65.Qe8+ Kh6 66.Qh8+ 1/2

Our Newsletter, our Blog

Hello All

As you know, we are trying to set up a Newsletter. This would be an excellent way to spread news amongst ourselves.

To do so I require help from our fellow members.

we are actively looking for
1) writters
2) editors
3) researchers
4) Designers

To express your interest, please go to www.chesscorner.com and fill up the application form and a member of staff will contact you. All authors will be acknowleged and credit will be given.

Also, we are looking for some enthusiasts to look after the Blog.

Regards

The Chess Corner

R Byrne vs. Fischer Sousse Interzonal 1967 Sicilian Defense

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 b5







8.f4

i should point out that in this particular variation, partially as a consequence of this game, 8. 0-0 Be7 9. Qf3 has replaced 8. f4 as the main theoretical line these days, whites generally striving for an advantage with early piece play, only aiming for f4-f5 later on.

8. ... Bb7 9.f5 e5 10.Nde2 Nbd7

The pawn grab 10. … Nxe4 is a bit greedy, but certainly not out of the question 11.Nxe4 Bxe4 12.O-O Bb7 13.Nc3 Be7 14.Nd5 Bf6 15.Be3 Nd7 16.Qh5 gave white a promising position for the pawn deficit in Dely-Bednarski Zinowitz 1964.
10. … Bx4? Loses simply to 11. Nxe4 Nxe4 12. Qd5

11.Bg5 Be7 12.Ng3

Adding pressure down the c-file 12. … 0-0 looks natural enough but allows white to carry his plan 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Nh5 Qb6 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. Qd3 Bg5 (white cannot castle either side, but he is still better as he will have an unopposed knight on d5) 17. Bd5! Rfd8 18.h4 Bh6 19.g4 Bf4 20.Bxb7 Qxb7 21.g5 Rac8 22.Nd5 Rc4 23.c3 Rdc8 24.f6 Kh8 25.fxg7+ Kxg7 26.0-0 with a clear plus for white, Susnik vs. S. Nikolic Ljubljana 1996.




13. 0-0

Surprisingly enough this natural move is a serious mistake, although this is only shown up by the brilliance of Fischer’s next move. White has two stronger alternatives

a) 13. Nh5 Nxh5 14. Qxh5 0-0 15. Bxe7 ( 15. h4 b4 16. Nd5Bxd5 17. exd5 Nc5
18. 0-0-0 a5 19. qg4 a4 20. Bc4 b3 gave Black a strong attack, R Byrnes vs. Bouaziz. 1967)
15. … Qxe7 and Black has nothing to fear Black has won this positional battle Voss vs. Trisic concluded 19.c4 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rfc8 21.Bb3 Nxd5 22.Qxa6 Qh4+ 23.Kd1 Qd4+ 24.Ke2 Qe3+ 0-1 and whites resigned.

b) 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Nh5 is a more direct method of trying to win the battle for the d5 square, but Black is also well armed against this response : 14. … Rxc3! ( a typical exchange sacrifice and yet another point of … Rc8) 15. Nxf6+ Bxf6 16. bxc3 Bxe4 17. 0-
has good compensation for the exchange : a pawn, the bishop pair and weak white pawns to aim at

13. h5!!

Characteristically it’s Fischer who find the antidote to one of his own plans! Black use the very fact that he hasn’t castled to lunge forward with this pawn, a multi-dimensional move:

1) it prevents Nh5
2) it prepares …. H5-h4,attacking the knight which defend the crucial e4-pawn
3) it begins a surprisingly effective attack on the white kingside

it’s not too early to say that white is already in big trouble

14. h4

This move looks ugly what else is there? 14. Bf6 Nf6 brings white no relief after:

a) Qf3 Rxc3! 16. Qxc3 h4




And Black has a vicious attack for example 17. Nh1 Qb6+ 18. Nf2 Qc6 and white is killed down the long diagonal, or, 17.Ne2 Qb6+ 18.Kh1 Nxe4 19.Qh3 Ng5 20.Qg4 h3 21.Rg1 Ne4 22.Raf1 Nf2+ 23.Rxf2 Qxf2 24.Qxg7 hxg2+
25.Rxg2 Qxe2 26.Bxf7+ Kd8 27.Qxh8+ Kc7 and blacks mate , Bednarski vs. Lehmann 19967

a) 15. Nd5 h4 16. Nxf6+ gxf6! 17. Nh1 bxe4 18. Qg4 d5 and black is already winning Thorstein vs. Ghitescu concluded 19.Rad1 Bc5+ 20.Nf2 Ke7 21.Rfe1 Bxf2+ 22.Kxf2 Qb6+ 23.Kf1 Rhg8 24.Qxh4 Rxg2 and white threw the towel.

14. … b4




15 Bxf6

Or 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5 Qxg5 and Black is in total control.

15. … Bxf6

15. … nxf6 is just as good 16. Nd5 Nsd5 17. Bxd5 Bxd5 18. Qxd5 Bxh4 is horrible for white.
16. Nd5 Bxh4

And so white has control over d5, but is kingside is fatally weakened this is not a good deal

17. Nxh5 Qg5

Black has now the luxury of an open h-file which to attack. I guess it could be said that white has won a battle ( of the d5 square) but has lost the war. Byrnes gamely puts up a fight but from here the result is never in doubt





18. f6 g6 19. Ng7+ Kd8

threatening ... Bxd5 followed by ... Qe3+

20. Rf3 Bg3

Now Black threatens … Qh4

21.Qd3 Bh2+ 22.Kf1 Nc5 23.Rh3

23. Qe2 Bg3 is terminal

23. … Rh4 24.Qf3 Nxb3 25.axb3 Rxh3 26.Qxh3 Bxd5

White has even lost control over d5!


27.exd5 Qxf6+ 28.Ke1 Qf4 0-1

Welcome to your Blog

Hello All Members

It is with great pleasure that i have decided to create this blog for you!

Feel free to use this blog as you wish! I would only ask you that you keep it clean :-)