Kenilworth Chess Club

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 a6!

Blehm always plays the Tarrasch, making Benjamin’s preparation in the French the easiest choice, and he likes to play Bb5(+), so this prevents his favorite mode of development. Blehm has also had trouble in the past against this nifty waiting move.

6. Be2 c4 7. O-O Bd6 8. b3 cxb3 9. axb3 Ne7 10. Ne5 O-O 11. Ndf3 Nbc6 12. Re1!?

The last time Blehm faced this line, he played here 12. Nxc6 Nxc6 13. c4 Bg4 (13… dxc4 14. bxc4 b6 is an interestingly imbalanced position) 14. h3 Bh5 15. Be3 Rc8 16. c5?! This natural advance simplifies Black’s task and was likely what Benjamin hoped to see again…. 16… Bb8! 17. Qd2 Qc7! 18. g3 Rce8 19. Rfe1 Qc8 (Perhaps Benjamin planned 19… Re7! 20. Ng5 Bxe2 21. Rxe2 (21. Qc2 f5!?) 21… f6!? 22. Nf3 Rfe8 23. Rae1 Qd7 and Black has no problems ) 20. Kg2 f5?! Black gets too aggressive and creates some weaknesses. Safer was simply to double rooks on the e-file and await developments. 21. Ng1! Bg6?! (21… Bxe2) 22. f4 (22. Bf3!?) 22… h6 23. Nf3 Bh5 24. Ne5 Bxe2 25. Rxe2 Bxe5 26. fxe5 Qe6 with a very double-edged position, where Black’s Knight should be better than the dark-squared Bishop. 27. h4 f4!? This pawn sacrifice gives black a powerful initiative with which to exploit White’s weakened light squares, but it is tough to judge how sound Black’s attack is against best defense. 28. Bxf4 Qg4 29. Rf2 g5 30. hxg5 hxg5 31. Be3 Rxf2+ 32. Bxf2 Rf8 33. Re1 Qf3+ 34. Kg1 Rf5 35. e6 Kf8!! 36. b4 (36. Re3 Qg4) 36… Ke8 37. e7 Rf7 38. b5 Rh7! 0-1 Pawel Blehm-Aleksander Delchev/Linares ESP 2003 (38) and Black will force mate.

12… Bf5 13. Bd3 Rc8 14. Nxc6 Rxc6 15. c4 Bg6

Come on — play c5!

16. c5?! Bc7

Better seems 16… Bb8!

17. Bg5 f6 18. Bh4 Qd7 19. b4 Re6 20. Qd2 Be4!

Black has no problems.

21. Bg3 Rc8?!

Better was 21… Bxg3! 22. hxg3 Re8=

22. Qc2 Bxd3 23. Qxd3 Nc6 24. Rxe6 Qxe6 25. b5 axb5 26. Qxb5 Bxg3 27. hxg3 Qd7 28. Rb1 Rc7

Black has secured a solid position with no exploitable weaknesses. Now the heavy-weight maneuvers begin.

29. Qa4 Qc8 30. Ne1 Re7 31. Nf3 Kf7 32. Qc2 g6 33. Qb3 Qd7 34. Qa2 Qf5!?

Inviting what follows.

35. g4!? Qxg4 36. Qxd5+ Qe6!

Black has judged the resulting edgame better than White has and gains a slight edge.

37. Qd6 Qxd6 38. cxd6 Rd7 39. d5 Na5 40. Nd2 Rxd6 41. Rb5 Ra6!

Black will eventually have to surrender the b-pawn in any event — but if he can trade it for the d-pawn he may have winning chances. Not 41… b6?! 42. Ne4 Rd7 43. Rxb6 Rxd5 44. Rxf6+=

42. Ne4 b6 43. Nd6+ Ke7 44. Nc8+ Kd7 45. Nxb6+ Kc7 46. Na4 Nb7 47. Nc3 Nd6 48. Rb4 Ra5

The position seems about drawn, but perhaps Black has long-term pressure against the d-pawn? Apparently that’s what Blehm judged, because he now heads for a Rook and Pawn ending which he figured must be drawn.

49. Ne4!? Nxe4 50. Rxe4 Rxd5 51. Re7+ Rd7 52. Re6 Rd6 53. Re7+ Rd7 54. Re6 Rf7

This was the position that Blehm was playing for, which is considered theoretically drawn. But Black can certainly make White suffer before conceding the draw.

55. g3 Kd7 56. Ra6 Ke7 57. Kg2 Kf8 58. Rb6 Kg7 59. Ra6 Rb7 60. Rc6 h5 61. Ra6 g5 62. Rc6 Kg6 63. Rc8 g4 64. Rg8+ Kf5 65. Rh8 Kg6 66. Rg8+ Kh7 67. Rc8 Kg7 68. Rd8 Rb5 69. Rd7+ Kg6 70. Rd8 Ra5 71. Rg8+ Kh7 72. Rf8 Kg7 73. Rc8 Ra7 74. Rc5 Kg6 75. Rc8 f5 76. Rc6+ Kg5 77. Rc8 Rf7 78. Rg8+ Kf6 79. Rh8 Kg6 80. Rg8+ Rg7 81. Ra8 Rf7 82. Rg8+ Kh7 83. Rc8 f4

This looks strong for Black, but the exchange of pawns simply clarifies things.

84. gxf4 Rxf4 85. Rc6 Rf3

86. Rb6 Kg7

I guess the question is, “how does Black make progress without exchanging Rooks?” But the Rook exchange has to happen so far away from the pawns, that White secures a drawn K+P position.

87. Rc6 Rf6 88. Rxf6 Kxf6 89. f3 Kg5

Game drawn by mutual agreement

1/2-1/2

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 a6

A highly fashionable line that has done well for Black at the highest levels.

5. Nf3 b5 6. b3 Bg4 7. Be2 e6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. h3 Bf5 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. dxe5 Nd7 12. cxd5 cxd5 13. Bb2 Bc5 14. Bg4 Bxg4 15. Qxg4 O-O 16. Ne2 Qe7 17. Nf4 Rfc8 18. Rfc1 Bb6 19. a4 Qb4 20. axb5 Rxc1+ 21. Rxc1 axb5 22. Bd4 Qd2 23. Rd1 Qc2 24. Re1 Bxd4 25. exd4 Qc3 26. Qd1 Ra3 27. Re3 Ra1 28. Rxc3 Rxd1+ 29. Kh2 Rxd4 30. Rc8+ Nf8 31. g3 g6 32. Kg2 Rb4 33. Rc3 Re4?!

This looks like a bad plan. The safer idea was simply 33… d4! 34. Rc8 (34. Rd3 Nd7!) 34… Rxb3 35. Rd8 Kg7 36. Rxd4 g5 37. Nd3 Ng6 and it’s Black who has the dangerous outside passed pawn — and an extra pawn to boot. Black would have all the winning chances.

34. Nd3 Kg7 35. Rc7 g5 36. Rb7 Ng6 37. b4! h5 38. Nc5! Rxe5 39. Rxb5 Re1

Though Black is up a pawn, he will have trouble stopping White’s outside passer.

40. Rb7 g4 41. hxg4 hxg4 42. b5 Kf6 43. Nd7+ Kg7

It looks like White holds a draw against anything at this point.

a) 43… Kf5!? 44. b6 Rb1 45. Rc7 Ne5! 46. Nxe5 Kxe5 47. Rxf7! (47. b7? f5) 47… Rxb6 48. Rf4 d4!? 49. Rxg4 d3 50. Kf3 d2 51. Ke2 Rd6 52. Kd1 Rd3 53. Ra4 Rf3 54. Kxd2 Rxf2+ 55. Ke3=

b) 43… Ke7!? 44. Ne5+ Kd6 45. Nxf7+ Kc5 46. Ng5

44. b6!?

44. Nc5!?

44… Ne5??

The decisive blunder. Black still has chances himself after 44… Nf8! 45. Nc5 (45. Nxf8 Kxf8 46. Rc7 Rb1 47. b7 Kg7 48. f4 Kg6) 45… Rb1 46. f4 gxf3+ 47. Kxf3

45. Nxe5 Rxe5 46. Rxf7+!

The only way to queen the pawn.

46… Kxf7 47. b7 Re4 48. b8=Q Rc4 49. Qe5 Re4 50. Qg5 Rc4 51. Qh6 Ra4 52. Qh7+ Kf6 53. Qh8+ Kf7 54. Qe5 Rc4 55. f4 gxf3+ 56. Kxf3 Re4 57. Qh5+

Black resigns. A great swindle by Ippolito — turning a disadvantageous ending into a win!

1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. Bd3 d5 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nd2 Be7 9. c4 O-O 10. Qc2 h6 11. b3 Bb7 12. Bb2 Nd7 13. Rad1 Qb8 14. Nf3 a5 15. Qe2 a4 16. Bb1 Re8 17. Qc2 Nf8 18. Ne5 Bf6 19. f4 Qa7+ 20. Kh1 axb3 21. axb3

21… dxc4?!

Black’s idea is to create a potential target for counter-attack in the c-pawn, but this leaves White with a strong center and potential spearhead for her attack in the e-pawn. Better was 21… dxe4! 22. Qxe4 c5 23. Qe2 Rad8 (23… g6? 24. Ng4!) 24. Qh5 Ba8 and it is difficult to see how White makes progress.

22. bxc4 Ba6!? 23. Rf3!

Shen must have been hoping for 23. Nxc6?! Qc5 24. e5 Bh4 25. Rd6 Qxc4 26. Qxc4 Bxc4= with a likely drawn ending on the horizon.

23… Bxe5 24. Bxe5 Qc5 25. Qb2!

White has frightening pressure on the kingside with her control of the long-diagonal and ready Rook at f3.

25… Rad8 26. Rc1!?

Was White setting a trap here, actually inviting Black’s next? Perhaps better 26. Re1! g6 (26… f6? 27. Bxf6! gxf6 28. Qxf6) 27. Bh8 e5 28. Bxe5 Bxc4 29. Rh3 h5 30. Rc3

26… Qxc4

What else?

27. Bxg7 Qa4??

Forced was 27… Rb8 28. Qc3! (28. Rxc4 Rxb2 29. Bxb2 Bxc4 30. Bf6 Rb8 31. Bc2 is also slightly better for White, but with one less piece on the board to aid the attack and to defend the back rank.) 28… Qxc3 29. Bxc3 and, despite the exchange of Queens, White’s attack on the kingside continues, with the two Bishops representing a long term advantage.

28. Bc2! Qb5

29. Rb3

29. Qf6!! is even faster, e.g.: 29… Nh7 30. Qxh6 f6 31. Bxf6! and Fritz says mate is forced from here.

29… Qe2 30. Bxh6 e5 31. Rg3+ Kh7 32. Bxf8 Rb8? 33. Qc3! Rxf8 34. Rh3+

34. Qxe5! forces mate even faster.

34… Kg6 35. Qg3+?!

This allows Black’s King to run over to the queenside, avoiding immediate disaster. Perhaps Shen was hoping for another lucky break? White can force mate in two ways: 35. Qxc6+ or 35. Qxe5

35… Kf6 36. Qg5+ Ke6 37. Rh6+ Kd7 38. Qf5+ Kc7 39. Qxe5+ Kb7 40. Qe7+ Ka8 41. Ba4! Bb5?!

Now Black gets mated rather quickly. Equally hopeless was 41… Rfc8 42. Bxc6+ Rxc6 43. Rhxc6 Rg8 44. R6c2 Qb5 45. Qxf7

42. Bxb5 Qxb5 43. Ra1+

Black resigns

1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3

Announcing his intention to seek a draw — sort of like going for the bunt.

5… Qd6 6. d4 exd4 7. Qxd4 Bg4! 8. Be3 Bxf3 9. gxf3 Qxd4 10. Bxd4 Ne7 11. Rd1 Ng6 12. a3?!

12. h4! h5 13. Ne2 Be7!? (13… O-O-O 14. f4!) 14. Bxg7 Rh7 15. Bc3 Nxh4 16. Rh3

12… f6 13. Be3 Bd6 14. h4 h5 15. Ne2 f5!

A brilliant temporary sacrifice that invites White to take on tripled pawns on an open file.

16. exf5

Equally unappealing is 16. Nd4 f4!

16… Ne7 17. Nd4?!

17. Ng3! O-O 18. Nxh5=

17… O-O 18. Rg1 Nxf5 19. Nxf5 Rxf5

Black has secured some play against White’s weakened kingside pawns. Goodbye easy draw.

20. Rg5 Raf8 21. Ke2 Be7 22. Rxf5 Rxf5 23. Rd7 Bxh4 24. Rxc7 Rf7 25. Rc8+ Kh7 26. b3 Kg6

Black has secured a clear advantage with the outside passed pawn, and White’s pawns disabled. He is practically up a pawn. Winning the game against a wily endgame expert like Lunna, though, is another matter!

27. Rh8 Be7 28. a4 Rf8!?

Simplification is natural here, but I think White has more drawing chances now.

29. Rxf8 Bxf8 30. Kf1 Kf5 31. Kg2 b5 32. Bd4 bxa4 33. bxa4 c5 34. Bb2 c4 35. Bd4 g6 36. Kg3 Bd6+ 37. Kg2 Ke6 38. Bc3 Kd5 39. Kf1 Be5 40. Bb4 c3 41. Ba5 Kc4 42. Kg2 Bd6 43. Kf1 Be7