[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Short, N."]
[Black "Howell, D."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E47"]
[Annotator "Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "82"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. d5 {Not seen much
nowadays, but a clever choice as it was first tried way before Howell was born,
by Viktor Korchnoi in the infamous world championship match against Anatoly
Karpov at Baguio City in 1978. I can only imagine what social media nowadays
would have made of the yoghurt plots, Ananda Marga gurus and Dr Zukhar the
parapsychologist.} exd5 ({Karpov showed the right plan:} 6... b5 $1 7. dxe6
fxe6 8. cxb5 {and Black has a kind of souped-up Blumenfeld Gambit:} c4 (8... a6
9. Nge2 d5 10. O-O e5 ({or} 10... c4 11. Bc2 axb5 12. Nxb5 Bd7 13. Nbc3 Nc6 {
, and if} 14. e4 Ng4 $1 15. h3 Nxf2 $1 16. Rxf2 Bc5) 11. a3 axb5 12. Bxb5 Bxc3
13. bxc3 Ba6 14. Rb1 Qd6 15. c4 d4 {and 0-1 after 39 moves in Korchnoi-Karpov,
17 matchgame, Baguio City 1979. I quite like Black's compensation here,
although our Editor argued for a white advantage in 'Dangerous Weapons: The
Nimzo-Indian'.}) 9. Bxc4 ({or here} 9. Bc2 a6) 9... Ne4 $1 {looks even better.}
) 7. cxd5 d6 ({The computer likes} 7... Nxd5 8. Bxh7+ Kxh7 9. Qxd5 {, but
Black has to watch his king even if he is objectively OK.}) 8. Nge2 Nbd7 9. O-O
a6 10. a4 Rb8 11. h3 Re8 12. Kh1 Ne5 13. Bc2 b5 14. axb5 axb5 15. e4 Bd7 16. f4
Ng6 17. Ng3 Ba5 {Preparing to advance the queenside pawns;} ({but} 17... c4 {
intending ...Bc5 was perhaps better, and then there is} 18. f5 Ne5 19. Bg5 h6
20. Bh4 Nxe4 $5 21. Bxd8 Nxg3+ 22. Kh2 Nxf1+ 23. Qxf1 Rbxd8 {.}) 18. f5 Ne5 19.
Bg5 $1 b4 20. Nce2 Bb5 (20... Bb6 21. Nh5 {is nasty.}) 21. Bxf6 $1 gxf6 22. Nh5
b3 23. Bb1 Kh8 24. Rf4 Rg8 25. Rh4 Rg5 ({White's nightmare scenario, as Nigel
explained to me, is to be left with just a light-squared bishop on b1, so
another exchange was advisable:} 25... Bxe2 26. Qxe2 c4 {, when} 27. Rxa5 Qxa5
28. Nxf6 Rg7 {doesn't work.}) 26. Ng1 $1 {Downright devious as we shall see.}
c4 $2 27. Rxa5 $1 {Precise;} ({not} 27. Nxf6 Qxf6 28. Rxa5 Rxg2 $1 {.}) 27...
Qxa5 28. Nxf6 Kg7 (28... Rg7 29. Qh5 {is the point of White's 26th which
opened the path for the queen:} Qe1 30. Qxh7+ Rxh7 31. Rxh7# {is mate.}) 29.
Nxh7 Rh8 30. Qc1 f6 31. Nxf6 $1 Kxf6 32. Rxh8 Nf7 33. Nf3 Rg3 34. e5+ dxe5 35.
Rh6+ Ke7 (35... Nxh6 36. Qxh6+ Ke7 37. f6+ Kd7 38. f7 {is also extremely
strong: for example,} Rxf3 39. gxf3 Qe1+ 40. Kg2 Qe2+ 41. Kg3 Qe1+ 42. Kg4 Qg1+
43. Kh5 {.}) 36. Rg6 Rxf3 37. gxf3 Qa7 38. Qe1 Qc5 39. Qh4+ Kd7 40. Qf6 Nd8 41.
Rg8 Qg1+ 1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Howell, D."]
[Black "Vachier Lagrave, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B11"]
[Annotator "Malcolm Pein"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. h3 Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 6. d3 g6 7. g3 Bg7 8. Bg2
Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qe2 Re8 11. Bg5 {A clever new idea.} (11. f4 {has been seen,
but Howell just plays with the two bishops and waits to see if the game opens
up for them.}) 11... h6 12. Bd2 Nd7 13. Rae1 Qb6 14. Bc1 Qa6 15. a3 Rad8 16. h4
f5 $6 {After this e6 proves to be very weak.} (16... h5 {was Black's best
choice, when} 17. Bg5 {can be met by} d4 18. Nb1 c5 {, followed by queenside
expansion.}) 17. Bh3 $1 {Targeting e6 and also bringing h4-h5 into the
equation.} dxe4 $6 ({Black should keep the position closed with} 17... Nf6 {.})
18. dxe4 Qxe2 19. Nxe2 Ne5 20. Kg2 Nc8 21. exf5 (21. h5 $5 {was also tempting.}
) 21... gxf5 $6 22. Nf4 Nd6 23. Re2 $1 Ndf7 24. Rfe1 {With simple moves Howell
is winning, as b3 and Bb2 will fatally undermine Black's position.} c5 25. b3
c4 26. bxc4 Rd4 27. Nd3 Nxc4 28. Rxe6 Rxe6 29. Rxe6 Nfd6 30. Re7 Re4 31. Rxe4
fxe4 32. Nc5 b5 $2 33. Be6+ Kh7 34. Nxe4 $1 (34. Nxe4 Nxe4 35. Bf5+ {wins.})
1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Gormally, D."]
[Black "Granda Zuniga, J."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D24"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e4 b5 6. e5 Nd5 7. a4 Nxc3 8. bxc3
Bb7 $2 {Openings have never been Granda's strong point and he now allows White
to demonstrate one of the main points behind his aggressive and relatively
unusual choice of line.} ({Instead,} 8... Qd5 {, taking control of some key
light squares, is approved by theory.}) 9. e6 $1 f6 (9... fxe6 10. Ng5 Qd5 11.
Qg4 {looks pretty grim for Black, but so frankly does the text.}) 10. Be2 Qd5
11. O-O Qxe6 12. Re1 {White is two pawns down, but enjoys tremendous
compensation. Black is still three moves away from castling kingside and will
come under heavy pressure right across the board.} Qf7 {The queen won't enjoy
her attempt to shore up the kingside holes;} ({but likewise after} 12... Qd7
13. Nh4 g6 14. Bg4 $1 f5 15. Bf3 Nc6 16. Bg5 {, White enjoyed a strong
initiative in Beliavsky-Dlugy, Tunis Interzonal 1985.}) 13. Nh4 $1 {The key to
success is to free White's light-squared bishop for action.} b4 {A new move
according to the database, but not one which dents the notion that Black is
just in some trouble.} 14. Nf5 a5 $2 {Trailing massively in development, Black
can ill-afford to protect his advanced pawns.} ({He had to develop with} 14...
Nc6 {, and if} 15. Ne3 {go} e5 16. Bxc4 Qd7 {, no matter how open his position
might then appear.}) 15. Bf3 $1 ({It was possible to harass the queen without
delay, but after} 15. Nh6 Qd5 16. Bf3 Qxf3 $1 17. gxf3 gxh6 {, Black would
have obtained more counterplay and chances to resist than he deserved.}) 15...
Nc6 (15... Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Ra7 {would have avoided immediate defeat, but after}
17. d5 {, Black is rather bound hand and foot.}) 16. Nh6 $1 {. The queen is
trapped and 17 Bh5 will prove decisive.} 1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Arkell, K."]
[Black "Granda Zuniga, J."]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/4k3/4n1p1/p2KB2p/r4P2/3p2P1/P2R3P/8 w - - 0 45"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

{Black has been completely outplayed in what was once only a slightly worse
endgame and, after} 45. a3 $1 {, found himself without a using move and
nothing better to do than resign.} ({The a-pawn is immune due to the check on
d6, and after} 45. a3 Kf7 46. Rxd3 {, Black's pieces continue to lack anything
good to do.}) 1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Howell, D."]
[Black "Adams, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4r1k1/1q3pn1/p3r3/P1p4p/1pNpPPp1/1P4P1/2PR2QP/4RK2 w - - 0 33"]
[PlyCount "35"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

{White has a lovely post for his knight and control of the board.} 33. e5 $1 {
Increasing White's space advantage and if the queens are retained, the knight
will powerfully hop into d6 or White will go Qe4 and f4-f5.} Qxg2+ 34. Rxg2 $1
Nf5 {Black does now have a good square for his own knight, but that's the end
of the good news for him, as Howell had realised. The rook on g2 helps to
prevent any counterplay with ...h4 and so White is able to improve his king
and then open the kingside on his own terms.} 35. Ke2 Kg7 36. Kd3 Kg6 37. Rh1
f6 $1 {Black's only pawn break and real try.} ({Had he waited with, say,} 37...
Rh8 {then} 38. h3 {would have seen the kingside opening somewhat to White's
advantage: for example,} Rhe8 ({or} 38... Ree8 39. Rgh2 Nh6 40. Nd6 Rd8 41. Kc4
) 39. Rgh2 f6 40. hxg4 hxg4 41. Nd6 {, and in both cases Black's defences are
collapsing.}) 38. Re1 {Giving up on the h3 lever, as White can now find play
for his rooks in the centre, hoping to break in with his king at some stage.}
fxe5 $2 {It cannot be correct to open lines for White.} ({With more time I
suspect Adams would have found} 38... Rd8 {, and after something like} 39. Rf2
({Black is hoping for} 39. Rge2 $6 Ne3 $1) 39... Ree8 ({and not} 39... Ne3 $2
40. f5+ $1 Nxf5 41. Ref1 Ne3 42. Rxf6+) 40. Re4 {, the defence would have
remained a grim one, but Black would have been holding on for the time being.})
39. Rxe5 Rxe5 40. fxe5 {Taking back with the knight would also have been
strong. In either case Black's queenside weaknesses and the passed e-pawn are
going to cost him.} Kg5 ({Passive defence rarely works in such positions and
here, say,} 40... Re7 $6 41. Rf2 Re6 42. Ke4 Ne7 43. Nd6 {would have seen
White dominating and breaking through, such as with} Nc6 44. Kd5 {.}) ({
However, Black will also be swiftly brushed aside after the text and, as such,
} 40... Ne3 $5 {was likely the last try, though White should be winning after}
41. Re2 Rf8 42. e6 Rf6 {and now the calm} 43. Ne5+ (43. Nxe3 Rf3 $1 {isn't so
clear}) 43... Kg5 44. Nd7 Rxe6 45. Nxc5 {.}) 41. Rf2 Rd8 42. Ke4 Ne3 ({In view
of} 42... Rf8 43. Rf4 {, the knight must move and the game is almost up for
Adams.}) 43. e6 Nxc4 44. bxc4 d3 {A decent enough, last-ditch try, but Howell
is able to maintain control.} 45. cxd3 Rd4+ 46. Ke5 Rxd3 47. e7 Re3+ 48. Kd6 b3
49. Kd7 Rd3+ 50. Ke6 1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Sargissian, G."]
[Black "Short, N."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A61"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bf4 a6 8. a4
Bg7 9. h3 O-O 10. e3 {This unpretentious system has been quite popular and
scored fairly well for White of late.} Ne8 11. Be2 Nd7 12. O-O Rb8 13. Nd2 Ne5
14. a5 {White's plan is to gradually squeeze and then break through on the
queenside, while denying Black counterplay. Short can push his f-pawn, but
there is no white pawn on e4 to trouble and the white kingside in general
isn't trivial to lever open.} f5 {The most natural move if you ask me, but
also a novelty according to the oracle.} 15. Bg3 Bd7 16. Qb3 b5 $5 {Short
rarely plays the Benoni, but when he does he displays great verve and
understanding. Readers may recall his win a couple of years ago with the
opening against Krishnan Sasikiran at Gibraltar and here he has realised that
Black's best try is to counter actively, not meekly await his fate.} 17. axb6
Rxb6 18. Qc2 Bb5 {An important follow-up, safeguarding the a-pawn and
continuing Black's active stance. Unfortunately, though, White is still in
charge of the position.} 19. Nxb5 $1 axb5 20. Nb3 {The 2690-rated Sargissian
has spied the hole on c6.} g5 $5 21. Na5 $2 {Heading for the outpost;} ({but
White should have first flicked in} 21. Bxe5 $1 Bxe5 22. Na5 {, reaching a
position not entirely uncommon for this system. Black does have an unopposed
Benoni bishop, but his attack isn't really going anywhere and after, say,} Qf6
23. Nc6 f4 $2 ({Black should switch to defence with} 23... Rb7 24. Ra5 Nc7 {,
which doesn't seem too terrible for him}) 24. Ra7 Ng7 25. Qe4 $1 {, it's White
who finds himself doing the attacking.}) 21... f4 22. Bh2 {Suddenly White's
bishop is entombed and his kingside vulnerable to ...f3 hits. As so often, one
small mistake in the Modern Benoni can let Black in.} Nc7 23. Rfd1 Kh8 24. Qe4
{White still has some good squares, but the text doesn't do much, as Black
isn't in a hurry on the kingside. Instead, Short maintains the bridgehead on
f4 and prepares to take over on the other flank.} Qf6 25. exf4 gxf4 26. Nb3 {
A sign that things have gone wrong for Sargissian, but it's hard to suggest
anything much better with Black's knight so dominant on e5.} Na6 $1 27. Nd2 c4
{Thematically pressing ahead on the queenside. Already White is in some
trouble.} 28. Qb1 Nc5 (28... Nb4 $5 29. Ne4 Qg6 {, followed by invading on d3,
would have been rather good too.}) 29. Ne4 Nxe4 30. Qxe4 Rb7 $1 {Calmly
improving his worst-placed piece. White is going to do very well to cope with
the pressure against b2, down the e-file and soon along the g-file to boot.}
31. Ra5 Nd7 32. b4 $5 ({Desperation, as} 32. Ra2 Nc5 33. Qf3 Re7 34. Bf1 {
would have been extremely passive.}) 32... cxb3 33. Bd3 Qh6 34. Qb4 Nc5 35. Bb1
Be5 $1 {Black's pieces continue to flow to good, natural squares. Short now
concludes this meister-gegen-amateur affair with a brutal attack.} 36. Rxb5 Rg7
37. Be4 Nxe4 38. Qxe4 Qxh3 39. Kh1 Qh5 {And that was that.} (39... Qh5 40. Qf3
({or} 40. f3 Rg6) 40... Qxf3 41. gxf3 b2 {is clearly hopeless.}) 0-1

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Hawkins, J."]
[Black "Marin, M."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D37"]
[PlyCount "63"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Be7 7. e3 O-O {
Rather an old-fashioned way to play the QGD, but Marin had used it before and
play soon transposes into a line of the Tartakower.} 8. Rc1 b6 9. cxd5 exd5 10.
Bd3 Bb7 11. O-O c5 12. Qc2 {Hawkins is always well prepared, so even though
there's no threat to h7 here, we may take it that this is best.} ({Earlier
this year,} 12. Bf5 Re8 13. Qa4 Nf8 14. Rfd1 g6 15. Bb1 Ne6 16. Qc2 Rc8 17. Ne5
Ne4 {had seen Black equalise with some thematic play in Ma-Marin, Benasque
2014.}) 12... c4 {A first over-the-board outing for this move, although it has
received a little bit of correspondence testing. Seizing space is always
tempting and Marin may been inspired by one of the all-time classic QGD games,
but I can't say that I overly care for the early release of the tension. White
will quickly gain pressure in the centre and on the kingside, as we will see.}
13. Bf5 a6 {Continuing his space-gaining plan;} ({but Black may do better to
free his position slightly while focussing on defence for now with the} 13...
Ne8 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 {of Kolpak-Petukhov, correspondence 2010.}) 14. Ne5 $1 {A
thematic and strong leap.} b5 ({Black can exchange the knight off, but after} 
14... Nxe5 15. dxe5 Ne8 (15... Nd7 16. e6 Nc5 17. exf7+ Rxf7 18. Bg3 {leaves
Black's kingside and d-pawn rather exposed}) 16. Bxe7 Qxe7 17. f4 {, White's
pawns are already looking quite dangerous and Ne2-d4 may follow.}) 15. f3 {
Hawkins sensibly rules out any freeing ...Ne4 manoeuvre, so Marin is forced to
switch to a different defensive regrouping.} Re8 16. Kh1 Nf8 17. g4 $5 Bd6 $2 (
{Hawkins's last was rather ambitious, but after} 17... g6 18. Nxg6 fxg6 19.
Bxg6 Nxg6 20. Qxg6+ Kh8 21. Qxh6+ Nh7 22. Bxe7 Qxe7 23. Rce1 {, White would
have had three good pawns and full compensation for the piece.}) ({Marin's
move, however, permits White a strong pin, something which} 17... N6d7 {(now
that the h7-square is covered) wouldn't have done. Following, say,} 18. Bxe7
Qxe7 19. f4 {, I quite like White's attacking chances, but matters are far
from fully clear after} b4 {, since} 20. Ne2 $6 Nxe5 $1 21. fxe5 g6 22. Ng3 Qg5
{sees Black holding things together.}) 18. f4 Qc7 {Marin had clearly been
relying on this pin-breaking move;} ({with the point that} 18... Qc7 19. Bxf6
$6 gxf6 20. Nf3 Rxe3 {is not entirely what White wants to be doing, but
Hawkins finds a powerful riposte.}) 19. Qg2 $1 {Suddenly g4-g5 will blow
Black's kingside wide open.} b4 ({Already the engines can suggest nothing
better than the desperate} 19... g5 $5 {.}) 20. g5 hxg5 21. Bxg5 N6h7 22. Bh6 {
The threats just keep on coming. There's no need to deal with the attack on c3.
} Ne6 23. Rg1 Bf8 24. Bxe6 {Hawkins chooses the human approach, maintaining
full control of the board;} ({though it seems that White might have grabbed
with} 24. Nxd5 {.}) 24... fxe6 25. Na4 Ra7 26. Nc5 $1 {Clearly the kingside
pressure means that the knight cannot be captured. It won't take Hawkins long
to increase that pressure to breaking point, while his esteemed opponent can
but sit and watch.} Ba8 27. Qg6 Qc8 28. Rg3 Ree7 29. Bg5 Re8 $2 {Allowing a
rapid mate;} ({not that one can really view} 29... Qe8 30. Bxe7 Qxg6 31. Rxg6
Bxe7 32. Rxe6 {as an improvement.}) 30. Rh3 Nxg5 31. fxg5 Bxc5 32. Rf1 $1 1-0

[Event "PokerStars, Isle of Man"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2014.??.??"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Nakar, E."]
[Black "Merry, A."]
[Result "0-1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3q1r2/1b3p1k/1p2p1pp/8/3Q1PnP/2P1nNr1/PPB3P1/R3NRK1 b - - 0 26"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[SourceDate "2014.10.23"]

{White was earlier highly guilty of fiddling while Rome burned and has been
totally outplayed. Merry's pieces dominate the key sector of the board and
Black has various ways to win, but he undoubtedly chose the prettiest.} 26...
Bxf3 $1 {Now recapturing with the knight would, of course, see g2 fall, so the
queens must be removed...} 27. Qxd8 ({Taking back with the rook,} 27. Rxf3 {,
allows} Qxh4 {.}) 27... Bxg2 $1 {...except that, as he had to realise before
taking on f3, Merry doesn't have to recapture. Nakar might be queen for knight
ahead, but his king cannot escape the mating net.} 28. Rf2 Bf3+ 29. Rg2 {
Desperation, but there was precious little better. Those four attacking black
pieces radiate far, far too much harmony and menace.} Bxg2 30. Qd2 Bd5+ 31. Ng2
Bxg2 0-1

