CVO_061.pdf

No. 61, March 3, 2010

OPENINGS

WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT?

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Beating the Petroff

when it counts

By IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris

In this issue you ind news on the last round of Linares

(won by Topalov), the Gotth' Art Cup, the Reykjavik

Open, the Sicilian Theme Match between Judit Polgar

and Kaidanov and the Bundesliga top match Baden

Baden (with Anand) versus Werder Bremen.

Frequency

WHAT’S HOT?

Beating the Petroff without showing your best opening ideas sounds like a

mission impossible, since even your best ideas may not be enough to crack

this rock solid opening. Topalov pulled off this truely remarkable feat in our

Game of the Week and seems to be ready for the World Championship

match. In the diagram position Gelfand had to decide in which direction to

castle and went for 7...0-0.

Score

The Breyer Variation of the Ruy Lopez looks fairly solid at the moment

and defending World Champion Anand successfully used his temporary

Archangelsk weapon once more in the Bundesliga against Gashimov,

before the final preparatory phase for the WC match starts. Nataf showed

an interesting sideline against the Berlin Wall and Baklan beat the Caro-

Kann in convincing style (see PGN file).

Concerning 1.d4 (which we expect to see a lot again in the Anand-Topalov

match), we are observing silence before the storm. Good old Portisch found

an elegant way to battle the Grünfeld and we'll bring you up to speed on

Gashimov's reasons for playing the Benoni (see below). Braun-Schneider

is a very interesting way of dealing with the Chigorin (see PGN file).

Source: Megabase + TWIC, 2500+ only

In the Sicilian Theme Match Polgar-Kaidanov the Sicilian got a major thrashing with 4-0! The selected variations Sveshnikov, Dragon,

Najdorf and Scheveningen were all beaten in highly intertaining fashion. Against the Sveshnikov the piece sac 13.¤xb5!? (CVO 1)was

revisited. The Dragon looked fine since Dominguez-Smerdon, Khanty-Mansiysk 2009 but

now looks dead again! The Najdorf should still be fine (despite Vallejo Pons-Grischuk in

Linares) and the Scheveningen game will be presented below as an exercise.

WHAT’S NOT?

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ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 61, March 3, 2010

Last-round showdown in Linares

Even though Topalov’s hands were tied from an opening theoretical perspective due to the

upcoming match for the World Championship against Anand, he still managed to create win-

ning chances against Gelfand’s Petroff and win Linares outright.

GAME OF THE WEEK

have played the simple 32.¦d1! and after 32...¦e6

White improves his position with 33.¢c2 followed

by ¢d3. This should be technically winning.

32...gxf6 33.¦xf6 ¦xe3 34.¦xd6 ¢f7! 35.¢c2

After the transformation to the pawn ending by

35.¦d7+ ¦e7 the value of White ’ s extra pawn

decreases.

35...¦e2+ 36.¢b3 ¢e7 37.¦d4

White ’ s only change is to keep the ¢ cut off.

37...c5 38.¦d3 b6 39.¢a3 ¦c2 40.¦d5 a5

41.¦d3 ¦h2 42.b3 ¦c2 43.¢a4

The only way to proceed.

43...¦xa2+ 44.¢b5 ¦b2 45.¢xb6 a4 46.¢xc5

¦xb3 47.¢c6 a3 48.c5

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48...¢e8?

Black misses a clear cut way to keep the

balance. After 48...a2! 49.¦d7+ ¢e6 50.¦a7 ¦b2

(Obviously not 50...¦xc3? 51.¦xa2 when White

wins by reaching the Lucena position.) 51.¢c7

¢d5 52.c6 ¢c4 Black ’ s active ¢ saves him.

49.¦h3 a2?

49...¢e7 was the last chance to survive. This

time Topalov doesn ’ t let his advantage slip away

again.

50.¦h8+ ¢e7 51.¦a8 ¦b2 52.¢c7 ¦c2 53.c6

¦b2 54.c4 ¦c2 55.¦a6 ¦b2 56.c5 ¢e6 57.¦a5!

A very important resource. After 57.¢c8? ¢d5

58.c7 ¢xc5 there's no win any longer.

57...¦c2 58.¢b7 ¦b2+ 59.¢c8 ¢e7 60.c7 ¢e8

61.¦xa2!

Finishing in style.

61...¦xa2 62.¢b7

and pawn c5 functions as an umbrella against

rooks checks. 1–0

Topalov, V (2805) - Gelfand, B (2761)

Linares, 24.02.2010

C42, Petroff, 5.¤c3

have considered 12.h6, justifying the march of

his h-pawn.) 12...¤d5 13.¥g5 ¥g4 14.¦dg1

h6 15.¥xh6 gxh6 16.£xh6 f5 17.£g6+ ¢h8

18.£h6+ ¢g8 19.£g6+ ¢h8 20.£h6+ Moll-

Hopman, Amsterdam 2006.

12.¢b1 ¤f6 13.¥d3 ¥f8

The natural developing move 13...¥g4 can simply

be met by 14.¦dg1 when both captures on h5 are

parried by 15.¥xh6!.

14.¦dg1 ¤g4

A natural decision to counter White ’ s aspirations,

but possibly this ¤ sortie is not forced. Some

attention might be paid to 14...d5 gaining further

control in the centre.

15.¥f4 £f6 16.¤h2 ¤xh2?

This allows White to launch a dangerous

offensive by pushing his g-pawn. Better would

have been 16...¤e5 when at least the ¤ on h2 is

not optimally placed.

17.¦xh2

It becomes clear that Black has to deal now with

the killing threat g4-g5.

17...¥f5 18.¥xf5 £xf5 19.g4 £e4 20.g5 hxg5

21.¥xg5 £e2

Gelfand can ’ t stand the pressure any longer and

is willing to pay a high prize to exchange £s.

Although, there is no concrete win for White yet

after 21...¦e6 22.h6 Black ’ s kingside looks quite

suspicious.

22.£xe2 ¦xe2 23.¥e3!

The clue of the previous sequence: the ¦ is

trapped and needs to be sacrificed.

23...¦xe3 24.fxe3 ¦e8 25.¦h3

In case of 25.h6 g6 the h-pawn may just become

weak and targetted by the black ¢.

25...¦e6 26.c4

Perhaps bringing the ¢ closer to the centre with

26.¢c1 would have been more accurate.

26...¥e7 27.¦f3 ¦e5 28.¦gf1 ¦xh5 29.¦xf7 ¦e5

30.¦7f3 ¥f6 31.c3 ¦e4 32.¦xf6?

Topalov panics and returns the exchange,

assuming the ¦ ending is won. Instead he could

1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤f6

Since some years Gelfand has switched from his

beloved Najdorf to the rock solid Petroff, and not

without success.

3.¤xe5 d6 4.¤f3 ¤xe4 5.¤c3

In many issues we have concentrated on the

main line 5.d4 but if Topalov had something

there, he wasn ’ t going to show it in this game.

5...¤xc3 6.dxc3 ¥e7 7.¥e3

7.¥f4 has been examined in CVO 37.

7...0–0

More solid is 7...¤c6 8.£d2 ¥e6 9.0–0–0 £d7

with the idea to castle queenside. However, at a

certain moment White will play ¤g5 and claim a

marginal edge by grabbing the pair of ¥s.

8.£d2 ¤d7 9.0–0–0 ¦e8

9...¤e5 is a serious alternative, transposing to a

line which is usually reached by the move-order

...¤c6-e5.

10.h4 c6 11.h5!?

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This move was first employed by ChessVibes

co-editor Arne Moll four years ago. In a recent

elite game White didn't reach anything after

11.¥d3 £a5 12.¢b1 ¤e5 13.¤xe5 dxe5 14.£e2

¥e6 15.¥c4 ¥xc4 16.£xc4 ¦ad8 17.h5 ¦xd1+

18.¦xd1 ¦d8 and soon the players settled for a

draw in Caruana-Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2010.

11...h6

Gelfand deviates from Moll ’ s game, which

quickly ended in a perpetual after 11...¤f6

12.¥d3 (Now or on the next move, White should

TOPALOV - GELFAND

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ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 61, March 3, 2010

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Ruy Lopez, Breyer

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1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 a6 4.¥a4 ¤f6 5.0–0 ¥e7 6.¦e1 b5 7.¥b3 d6 8.c3 0–0 9.h3 ¤b8 10.d4

¤bd7 11.¤bd2 ¥b7 12.¥c2 ¦e8 13.a4 ¥f8 14.¥d3 c6 15.b3 g6 16.¥a3 ¤h5 17.¥f1 ¤f4 18.g3 ¤e6

The Breyer variation in the Ruy Lopez hasn't been seen that often in top level games, but recently Black seems

to be doing fine with it. In CVO 17 we noticed an original concept, which didn't find many followers. Instead of

transferring the ¤ to d2-f1–g3, this week the White players decided to keep the ¤ protecting e4 and immediately

started undermining the queenside with 13.a4 ¥f8 14.¥d3. In Vallejo-Topalov the former didn't want to challenge

his employer and Black quickly equalized. In the important Bundesliga match Baden-Baden vs Bremen, Svidler

couldn't pose Mamedyarov a serious question. In the diagram position Black seems to be very comfortable with his

¤ on e6. The attempt 17.g3 to prevent the ¤ getting there, makes hardly any sense as the route via g7 is open. A

day later Shirov challenged the system with 15.b4 and although he won a heavy battle, theoretically it wasn't very

significant as Black deviated from the common paths with the rare 16...cxb5, where 16...axb5 seems to be level.

Dragon, 9.¥c4

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1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 5.¤c3 g6 6.¥e3 ¥g7 7.f3 ¤c6 8.£d2 0–0 9.¥c4 ¥d7 10.0–0–0 ¦c8

11.¥b3 ¤e5 12.¢b1 ¦e8 13.h4 h5 14.g4 hxg4 15.h5 ¤xh5 16.¦dg1 e6 17.¥h6 £f6 18.fxg4 ¥xh6 19.£xh6

£g7 20.£d2 ¤f6 21.g5 ¤h5 22.¤ce2 ¤c4 23.¥xc4 ¦xc4 24.b3 ¦c5 25.¤g3 ¤xg3 26.¦xg3 ¦ec8 27.¦gh3 e5

28.¦h4 exd4 29.£h2 ¢f8 30.£xd6+ ¢g8 31.£xd7 d3 32.c4 £c3 33.¦4h2 b5 34.e5 £xe5 35.¦h7 ¦5c7 36.£d6

About the Dragon they say: one week it's alive, the next week it's refuted. Well, after the second match game

Polgar-Kaidanov the ball is clearly back in Black's court. This is what the latter had to say about it: "Of course

over the years the Dragon saw many 'refutations' and I am sure Black players will come up with an improvement

somewhere. I wish them luck, because I've had enough. :-)" It's remarkable that such a match produced such

theoretically relevant games (but indeed the players had two months to prepare!). 20.£d2! was the first new move

(20.£e3 was Dominguez-Smerdon), 22.¤ce2! is with the clear plan of eliminating ¤h5 and mating down the h-file

and that's how it came. We just give you the whole game and let the moves do the talking. 29.£h2! is an absolute

murderer and 36.£d6! a pretty £ sac finish.

Grünfeld, 4.e3

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1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.¤c3 d5 4.e3 ¥g7 5.cxd5 ¤xd5 6.¤xd5 £xd5

7.¤e2 0–0 8.¤c3 £d6 9.¥e2 ¤d7 10.0–0 c6 11.¤e4 £c7 12.¥d2 ¤b6 13.f4

Of course Korchnoi is the most amazing example of the oldest generation still battling on the chess board. But don't

forget about 72-year old Lajos Portisch, still rated over 2500, an absolute world class player in his time (the 1960s,

1970s and 1980s) with a very fine positional style (in those days the Hungarian top players could be devided in the

two camps: the hackers and the fine positional players). With 5.cxd5!?, 6.¤xd5, 7.¤e2! and 8.¤c3 he introduced

an almost new way of development versus the Grünfeld, a scheme that reminds of the way Taimanov played the

Sicilian. The only top game we found with it was by Dutch grandmaster Lodewijk Prins against Donald Byrne, Tel

Aviv 1964. Of course White cannot really count on an advantage, but after Portisch won a fine game with it against

Beliavsky, the latter used the very idea himself a few rounds later to beat Ftacnik. Portisch kept sitting on his two

bishops against Beliavsky with the patience that Topalov lacked being the exchange up against Gelfand.

Benoni, 7.¥f4

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1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤f3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.¤c3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.¥f4 a6

8.a4 ¥g7 9.h3 0–0 10.e3 ¤e8 11.¥e2 ¤d7 12.0–0 £e7 13.¦e1 h6

After the Linares tournament Benoni man Gashimov expressed his doubts regarding the negative reputation of his

favourite opening. In his opinion the resulting positions aren't that bad, but the low frequency in top level games is

based on misleading computer evaluations. In Linares the Azeri scored 1.5/4, but this included an unnecessary loss

in the last round against Aronian, who repeated a line Vallejo had played earlier on. Aronian deviated with 13.¦e1

which was mentioned in CVO 60 as a possible improvement, but Gashimov's new 13...h6 may put this assessment

into doubt, as he solved his opening problems. Just four days later Gashimov took revenge and outplayed GM

Ikonnikov in a side line. However, it should be said White does better in playing 11.0–0, while the primitive way of

developing with gain of time by 13.¤xe5 and 14.¥f4 didn't leave a strong impression either. Due to his lack of space,

Black is eager to exchange one or two minor pieces when the ¥ on g7 remains a nightmare for White.

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ChessVibes OPENINGS what’s hot and what’s not?

No. 61, March 3, 2010

IT'S YOUR MOVE

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LAST WEEK'S SOLUTIONS

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Sargissian-Rodshtein, Aeroflot Open 2010

We are looking at an Anti-Moscow Variation that has gone wrong for Black. The computer needs a few seconds to

realise what should be done here, but humans may realise it instantly: 21.¥g4! An obvious exchange sacrifice to

open the h2-b8 diagonal. 21...¤xf6 22.exf6 £xf6 23.£e2 ¦hf8 24.¥xe6+ ¦d7 Well, it wasn ’ t even an exchange

sacrifice as White already has it back. 25.¦e1 Of course White is not in a hurry to take it back. 25.£e3! followed

by d5 would have been very strong as well. 25...¢d8 26.¥xd7 ¢xd7 27.£e3 ¢d8 28.h3! ¢d7 29.¢h2! While

enjoying the opposite-coloured bishops as an attacker, White takes the time to improve his king position. 29...

h5 30.d5! Opening lines for the final assault. 30...cxd5 31.£c5 ¦c8 32.£a7 ¢c6? 32...¦c7 is also technically

lost. 33.a5 1–0

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McShane-Danin, Aeroflot Open 2010

Black's last move (19...£a3) is a well-known mistake and instead 19...£a5 is recommended. 20.f4! White

yields nothing from 20.d7 £e7 21.¥b5 £h4! 22.¥f1 and a draw was agreed in Gelfand-Ivanchuk, Manila 1990.

20...¦xd6 Black has to take the pawn, since 20...¤c6 21.e5 is disastrous. 21.£c1! The point! After the exchange

of £s, the ¤ is in trouble. 21...£xc1 22.¦xc1 ¤d3 22...¤c6 23.e5 ¤d4 24.¦cc7! ¤xe2+ 25.¢f1 ¦dd8 26.¦xf7

¥f8 27.¢xe2± Gelfand-Kamsky, Dos Hermanas 1996; 22...¤d7 23.e5 ¦d5 24.¥c4±; 22...¦d7 23.¦b3!. 23.¦cc7

¦f8 24.e5 ¦d5 25.¥xd3 ¦xd3 26.¥c5 and the Englishman converted his advantage.

www.chessvibes.com/openings

ChessVibes Openings is a weekly PDF magazine that covers the latest news on chess openings. Which openings are hot in top level chess?

Which are not? Editors IM Merijn van Delft & IM Robert Ris keep you updated once a week! Singles issues cost € 1. You can subscribe too:

€ 25 a year (that’s less than € 0.50 per issue!). More info can be found at www.chessvibes.com/openings .

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