eNewsletter No. 59 August 2021 games, studies and problems

The FIDE World Cup has been running as a 206-player knockout from July 12 to August 6 in Krasnaya Polyana, near Sochi in Russia. IM Ravi Haria takes us through one of his games from the event

Haria, R. (2440) – Zvjaginsev, V. (2608) [C11]
[Annotations by Ravi Haria]

   [Event "FIDE World Cup 2021"]  [Site "Krasnaya Polyana RUS"]  [Date "2021.07.12"]  [Round "1.1"]  [White "Haria, R.."]  [Black "Zvjaginsev, V.."]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C11"]  [WhiteElo "2440"]  [BlackElo "2608"]  [Annotator "Haria,Ravi"]  [PlyCount "110"]  [EventDate "2021.07.12"]   {[%evp 0,110,25,16,41,38,35,36,48,30,25,20,28,27,33,33,21,22,22,23,22,5,3,-2,8,  12,2,4,10,-20,11,-7,14,-11,-14,-14,19,7,0,-18,-20,-20,-10,-8,0,2,0,0,17,17,4,  29,21,26,33,26,33,31,36,38,56,59,64,45,42,40,80,80,101,97,97,51,97,121,111,136,  134,141,132,90,118,160,189,206,192,214,218,188,210,206,223,209,254,230,227,252,  333,334,288,286,286,286,286,181,216,230,202,228,252,270,211,280,282]} 1. e4 e6  2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 9.  Qd2 a6 10. Qf2 $5 {Having been surprised by a French, I wanted to avoid theory  and so played this rare move.} (10. O-O-O O-O {is far more common, after which  Black launches a queenside attack with ...Nxd4 followed by ...b7-b5.}) 10...  Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bxd4 {Objectively this move is completely fine, but I feel like  it gives White an easy game.} (11... Qb6 12. O-O-O Bxd4 13. Rxd4 Nb8 $1 {  would have been more to the point.}) 12. Qxd4 Qb6 13. Qxb6 Nxb6 14. Bd3 {  Both sides have their plans - White wants to implement a knight on d4 before  expanding on either the kingside or queenside, whereas Black will finish  development before breaking with ...f7-f6 and attempting to target the weak  e5-pawn.} Bd7 15. Ne2 f6 16. Nd4 fxe5 17. fxe5 Ke7 18. Kd2 $5 (18. O-O {  seems like the obvious move, but I thought my king would stand better on d2 in  future positions.}) 18... Be8 $1 {The point of Black's previous move -  clearing the d7-square for the knight, and attempting to trade light-squared  bishops with ...Bg6.} 19. Rhf1 Bg6 20. Rf3 Raf8 (20... Nd7 21. Rg3 $1 {was the  point.} Nxe5 22. Re1 Kf6 23. Rge3 $36) 21. Raf1 Rxf3 $2 {I think Zvjaginsev  underestimated my next move. The change in pawn structure heavily favours  White.} (21... Nd7 22. Rxf8 Rxf8 23. Rxf8 Nxf8 $11 {This ending seems pretty  dead.}) 22. gxf3 $1 {A future f3-f4 effectively supports the e5-pawn, while  the g-file is now open for my rook to utilise.} Nd7 23. f4 Rf8 24. Rf3 $6 {  Preventing the cheeky threat of ...Nxe5. However, I missed Black's next  possibility.} (24. Be2 $1 $16 {is best, retaining the light-squared bishops.})  24... Bxd3 $2 (24... Be4 $1 {We both missed this strong possibility. Black is  close to equalising here.} 25. Bxe4 dxe4 26. Rb3 Rxf4 27. Rxb7 Rh4 $11 {  There is still some chess to be played, but Black has excellent counterplay.})  25. cxd3 $1 {Now White is in complete control.} g6 26. Ke3 {Protecting the  f4-pawn, enabling the f3-rook to relocate to a more active square.} Rc8 27. Rh3  Nf8 28. Kd2 $1 {Preventing any counterplay on the c-file. Having forced  Black's knight to f8, the c8-rook can't attack the f4-pawn anymore.} Rc7 29.  Rg3 Ke8 30. Rg1 Ke7 31. b4 $1 {The best thing about White's position is the  ability to play on both sides of the board - Black has to just sit and wait.}  Rc8 32. a4 Nd7 (32... Kf7 {was more resilient.} 33. h4 h5 34. a5 $1 {A  queenside breakthrough will be very effective.}) 33. h4 $1 {Having diverted  Black's f8-knight to d7, he can no longer meet h2-h4 with ...h7-h5.} Kf7 34. h5  gxh5 35. Rg5 h6 36. Rxh5 Kg6 37. Rh1 Nf8 38. Rg1+ Kf7 39. a5 $1 Ng6 (39... h5  40. Rg5 $1 h4 41. Rg4 $1 Ng6 42. Nxe6 Kxe6 43. Rxg6+ Kf5 44. Rf6+ Kg4 45. Ke3  Rh8 46. Rg6+ Kf5 47. Rg5+ Ke6 48. Kd4 h3 49. f5+ Kd7 50. Rg1 $18) 40. b5 {  After opening the kingside, this queenside break is now decisive.} axb5 41.  Nxb5 Kg7 42. Nd6 Ra8 43. Nxb7 (43. f5 $1 {was even cleaner.} exf5 44. Nxf5+ Kh7  45. e6 $1 $18) 43... h5 44. Ke3 Kh6 45. Nc5 Ne7 46. Ra1 Nf5+ 47. Kf2 h4 48. a6  Ra7 49. Nxe6 Kh5 50. Kf3 h3 51. Rg1 $6 {The easiest win for White is extremely  instructive.} (51. Ra4 $1 Kh4 (51... h2 52. Kg2 $18) 52. Ra2 $1 Kh5 53. Nc7 $1  {The rook is optimally placed on a2.} Rxc7 54. a7 $18) 51... Rxa6 {Setting up  a small trap.} (51... h2 {would have continued the game for a while, although  White is still winning.} 52. Rh1 Nh4+ 53. Kg3 Nf5+ 54. Kf2 Rxa6 55. Rxh2+ Kg6  56. Rg2+ Kf7 57. Ng5+ $18) 52. Ng7+ $1 {The simplest.} (52. Rg5+ Kh4 53. Rxf5 {  was my initial idea, but Black has an incredible way to draw.} (53. Rg4+ $1 Kh5  54. Ng7+ {is obviously still winning.}) 53... h2 54. Kg2 Ra2+ 55. Kh1 Kg3 56.  Rg5+ Kh3 57. Rh5+ Kg3 $11) 52... Nxg7 53. Rxg7 Ra3 54. Rh7+ Kg6 55. Rxh3 Rxd3+  1-0

Sowray vs Willow
4NCL Congress Open 2021

   [Event "25th 4NCL Congress"]  [Site "Leamington Spa, United Kingdo"]  [Date "2021.07.11"]  [Round "4.2"]  [White "Sowray, Peter J"]  [Black "Willow, Jonah B"]  [Result "0-1"]  [WhiteElo "2195"]  [BlackElo "2386"]  [PlyCount "78"]  [EventDate "2021.??.??"]   1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} dxc4 {  [%emt 0:00:06]} 3. e3 {[%emt 0:00:21]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 4. Bxc4 {[%emt 0:00:  11]} exd4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 5. exd4 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 6. Nf3  {[%emt 0:02:43]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:01:40]} 7. O-O {[%emt 0:00:42]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:  14]} 8. h3 {[%emt 0:00:30]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:38]} 9. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nc6 {  [%emt 0:00:04]} 10. Qc2 {[%emt 0:01:20]} Na5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 11. Be2 {[%emt 0:  09:08]} Be6 {[%emt 0:05:35]} 12. Ne5 {[%emt 0:02:16]} c5 {[%emt 0:07:51]} 13.  Be3 {[%emt 0:04:54]} Nd5 {[%emt 0:08:52]} 14. Nxd5 {[%emt 0:05:35]} Bxd5 {  [%emt 0:00:12]} 15. Qf5 {[%emt 0:02:53]} Be6 {[%emt 0:12:07]} 16. Qh5 {[%emt 0:  02:29]} Qf6 {[%emt 0:08:22]} 17. f4 {[%emt 0:05:37]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:21:22]} 18.  Bxd4 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 19. Kh1 {[%emt 0:12:04]} Nc6 {  [%emt 0:19:52]} 20. Nxc6 {[%emt 0:09:24]} bxc6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 21. f5 {  [%emt 0:01:08]} Bd5 {[%emt 0:00:23]} 22. Bxg7 {[%emt 0:03:07]} Qe4 {[%emt 0:02:  15]} 23. Rf3 {[%emt 0:02:31]} Qxe2 {[%emt 0:01:06]} 24. Qxh6 {[%emt 0:11:45]}  f6 {[%emt 0:00:44]} 25. Bxf8 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Bxf8 {[%emt 0:06:11]} 26. Rg3+ {  [%emt 0:02:35]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 27. Qh7+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} Ke8 {[%emt 0:00:  02]} 28. Qb7 {[%emt 0:00:33]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:01:24]} 29. Qxa7 {[%emt 0:01:50]}  Be7 {[%emt 0:02:44]} 30. Rg1 {[%emt 0:05:53]} Rd7 {[%emt 0:01:57]} 31. Qb8+ {  [%emt 0:00:36]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 32. Qb6 {[%emt 0:01:26]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:01:  09]} 33. Re3 {[%emt 0:02:18]} Rh8 {[%emt 0:00:36]} 34. Qa7 {[%emt 0:02:03]} Be4  {[%emt 0:00:33]} 35. Kh2 {[%emt 0:01:18]} Qf2 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 36. Qd4 {  [%emt 0:01:19]} Qf4+ {[%emt 0:00:16]} 37. Rg3 {[%emt 0:00:34]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:00:  13]} 38. Qa7+ {[%emt 0:01:47]} Bc7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 39. Qa3 {[%emt 0:00:28]}  Rxh3+ {[%emt 0:00:19]} 0-1

How to Solve a Study
Ian Watson