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Chess Life Online 2014 Gelashvili, Bodek & Chandra Annotate NY International Wins
Chess Life Online 2014 Gelashvili, Bodek & Chandra Annotate NY International Wins | Gelashvili, Bodek & Chandra Annotate NY International Wins |
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| By GM Gelashvili and Michael Bodek | |
| July 1, 2013 | |
 As
the season of internationals and norm opportunities heats up with the
DC International (preceding the World Open), we present annotations from the
recently concluded New York International held at the Marshall Chess Club. Featured annotators include tournament winner GM Tamaz
Gelashvili (left), 15-year-old Michael Bodek and 14-year-old Akshat Chandra. Bodek, who earned his first GM norm in the event, annotates his victory over GM Lenoid Yudasin. 6860 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Be2 Nbd7 5.d3 c4 6.d4 Nxe4 7.Bxc4 e6 8.0-0 d5 9.Bd3 Bd6 10.Bxe4 dxe4 11.Ng5 h6 12.Qh5 
12.Nxe4 Bxh2+ 13.Kxh2 Qh4+ 14.Kg1 Qxe4 15.Re1 Qg6 leads to an unclear position with chances for both sides. 12...g6 13.Qh3 13...Nf6 14.Nd2 e5 15.Qh4 Nh5 16.Ndxe4 Be7 17.dxe5 hxg5 18.Bxg5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 Bd7 It is important for all of black's pieces to come into the game so that the piece advantage will tell. 20.f4 A move like g4 is never a threat because if white takes the knight, black plays Rxh5 20...Qb6+ 21.Rf2 21.Qf2 Nxf4 22.Qxb6 Ne2+ 23.Kf2 axb6 24.Kxe2 Bb5+ 25.Ke3 Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Rxa2 21...0-0-0 Black has to get his king out of the center before white can organize his pieces and manuever his knight to d6 22.Nxf7 Rdf8 23.f5 This strong move came as a complete surprise to me. I missed my opponent's idea of bringing his queen back into the game. Now that the pawn is no longer on f4 Nxh8 is a threat, and if the rook moves the central pawns will destroy my position. Therefore it is necessary to launch a counterattack [23.Nd6+ Kb8 and black has a strong counterattack; 23.Nxh8 Rxf4] 23...Rxf7 24.Qc4+ Bc6 25.Qxf7 Nf4 26.fxg6  In this position White is trying to run his g pawn up the board, while Black is trying to create counterplay on White's king 26...Ne2+ 27.Kf1 Ng3+ 28.hxg3 Rh1+ 29.Ke2 Qxb2+ 30.Kd3 Qxa1 31.g7 Rd1+ 32.Ke2 32.Kc4 b5+ 33.Kb4 Rb1+; 32.Rd2 Qb1+ 33.Ke2 (33.Ke3 Qe4+ 34.Kf2 Qe1#) 33...Re1+ 34.Kf2 Rf1+ 35.Ke2 Qe1+ 36.Kd3 Qe4# 32...Re1+ 33.Kd3 Qd1+ 34.Rd2 Be4+ 35.Kc4 Qa4+ 36.Kc5 Qc6+ During the game I mistakenly thought that after Kd4 Qb6 was mate. Luckily my opponent thought this too.... 37.Kb4 Rb1+ 0-1 Gelashvili annotates a crucial Sicilian victory: 6861 This game was played in round 8 of the 6th New York International. After 7 rounds, I was tied for first with GM Shankland and IM Molner. Even though I was black, I decided to play for a win and fight for the first place till the end. That's why the Sicilian Defense was my choice for this game. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4  This is my opponent's favorite move, though it's not the best way to play for advantage. 3...Nc6 4.Nc3 Nge7 5.d3 Not the best choice. 5. d4 is much better and it is the only way for white to fight for some advantage. 5.d4 Nxd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qe3 b6 ...Bc5 9.Be2 Bc5 10.Qg3 Qf6 with a very interesting position. 5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 Sometimes white plays 7.Nb1 but still, black has a very comfortable position. 7...Nc6 8.a3 a5 Another very interesting move is 8...b5!? 9.b4 (9.cxb5?! Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qxb5 11.b4 a5! 12.bxa5 (12.a4? Nxb4 (12...Qxb4!?) ...13.axb5?? Nxd3#) 12...Rxa5! 13.a4 Qb6 14.Nf4 Bb4 15.Be2 Bc3 16.0-0 Qb4! black is clearly better) 9...Qb6 10.c5 Qc7 11.Bd2 a5 12.Rb1 axb4 13.axb4 d6 xb4. 9.g3 g6 10.Bg2 d6 11.h4 h6 11...h5 weakens g5 and I didn't want to do it 12.Bd2 I think better was 12.h5 g5 13.Bd2 (13.f4?! gxf4 14.gxf4 (14.Bxf4 Qb6 15.Qc2 Qc5) 14...Rg8 15.Bf3 Bd7) 13...a4 14.0-0 Bg7 15.Qc2 with an equal position 12...a4 13.b4 axb3 14.Qxb3 Bg7 15.Nf4?! waste of time. The knight does nothing there [15.0-0] 15...0-0 16.0-0 Kh7? Even though I saw the best plan for black, I still played this move. it's just a waste of time. K is fine on g8. I needed to play Ne5 right away, with the idea Ne5-d7-c5 and Bd7-a4. 17.Rfb1 Ne5 18.Bb4 White is trying to prevent knight going to c5 18...Qc7 19.a4 Bd7 19...Nd7 20.Qa3 Ra6 21.a5= 20.Ne2 Nc6 21.Ba3 Na5?! 22.Qb4?! White is trying to attack a pawn on d6.the plan is correct, but there was another, even better way to do that. [22.Qb6! Qxb6 23.Rxb6 Nxc4 24.dxc4 d3 25.Ra2! 25.Re1 Bxa4 26.Bb4 (26.Rxd6 Rfd8µ) 26...dxe2 27.Bxd6 Rfc8 28.e5 Rxc4 29.Bxb7 Ra5 30.Rxe2 Bd1 31.Re1 Bc2= 25...dxe2 26.Rxe2 Be5 27.Bxd6 Bxd6 28.Rxd6 Bxa4 29.Rb2 Bc6 30.e5 white is slightly better here, but black has all the chances to save the game 22...Ra6 23.c5 dxc5 24.Qxc5 Rc8! 25.Qxc7 25.Qb4 e5 followed by Bf8 and sooner or later, white will lose the a4 pawn. 25...Rxc7 26.f4 26.Bb4 e5 27.f4 f6 28.Kh2 b6 29.Bh3 Be8 xa4 26...e5 26...Rc2! 27.Rb2 (27.Bf3 Bc6! 28.Kf2 Rd2 29.Rd1 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Bxa4 31.Rc1 Bb5) 27...Rxb2 28.Bxb2 Nb3 29.Ra2 e5! 27.fxe5 Bxe5 28.Ra2? My opponent was already in time trouble, that's why he missed a simple move [28.Bb4 which protects a4 28...g5! 29.hxg5 hxg5 30.Rb2 Kg6] 28...Bxa4 29.Bd6 Rxd6 29...Bc2? 30.Bxe5 Bxb1 31.Rxa5 Rxa5 32.Bxc7÷; 29...Bb3?? 30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Bxc7 Bxc7 32.Rxb3+- 30.Rxa4 b6?! 30...Ra6! 31.Rb5 Nc6 32.Rc4 f6 31.Rb5 f6 32.Rd5 Rxd5 33.exd5 h5 At this point we were both in timetrouble, that's why I decided to play safer, because even with equal pawns, my position is strategically much better due to my centralized pieces [33...Nb3!? 34.Rb4 Nc5 35.Rxb6 Nxd3 36.h5! this move was the reason why I didn't play Nb3] 34.Rb4 Nb7 35.Nxd4?! 35.Rxb6 Nd6! blockade! (35...Nc5? 36.Nf4 Kg7 37.Rc6!) 36.Kf2 Ra7 37.Bh3 Ra3 35...Bd6 36.Ra4 Bxg3 36...Bc5 37.Kf1 Bxd4 38.Rxd4 Nd6 39.Ra4 Kg7 37.Ne6 Rc1+? This natural move is a mistake. much better was [37...Nc5! 38.Ra8 Nxe6 39.dxe6 f5 40.Ra6 Kg7 41.Rxb6 Rc1+ 42.Bf1 Bxh4-+ white's pawns will be easily blockaded on dark squares, but white will be unable to stop black's K-side pawns] 38.Bf1 Na5? 39.Rb4 Nb7 39...Rc2 40.d4! Nb7 41.Rxb6 Nd6 42.Bd3 (42.Nf8+ Kg7 43.Nxg6 Nf5-+) 42...Rd2 43.Bb1 Nc4 44.Rb7+ Kh6 45.Nf8 Bxh4 46.Rh7+ Kg5 47.Bxg6 Kf4 48.Bxh5 (48.Rxh5 Bf2+ 49.Kh1 Kg3-+) 48...Bf2+ 49.Kh1 Bxd4 50.Ne6+ Ke4 51.Nxd4= 40.Rxb6?  The last move of first time control and my opponent misses his last chance to save the game with 40.Kg2! Nd6 (40...Bc7 41.Nxc7 Rxc7 42.Rxb6 Kg7 43.d4! and black has no time to play Rd7-Nd6. The game will be most probably drawn) 41.Kxg3 Rxf1 42.Rxb6 Nf5+ 43.Kh2 and the d-pawn secures him enough compensation for all his weaknesses. 40...Nd6 41.Nd4 41.Rc6 Ra1 42.Nd4 (42.Rc7+ Kh6 43.Rd7 (43.Nf8 Bxh4 44.Rh7+ Kg5 45.Ne6+ Kg4-+) 43...Nf5) 42...Be5 43.Nc2 Rb1 44.Na3 Rd1 45.Nc4 Bd4+ 46.Kg2 Nf5 47.d6 Nxh4+ 48.Kh3 Rxf1-+ 41...Be5 42.Nf3 42.Ne2? Rd1 43.d4 Rxd4 44.Nxd4 (44.Rxd6 Rg4+!) 44...Bxd4+ 45.Kg2 Bxb6 42...Bf4 43.Rb4? 43.d4 Kh6 43...Be3+-+ 44.Kg2 Rc2+ 45.Kh3 45.Kh1 Rc1 46.Kg2 Rc5-+ 45...g5 46.hxg5 fxg5 47.d4 g4+ 48.Kh4 Kh6 there is no defense against Bf2# or Nf5#, so... 0-1 Akshat Chandra, who earned an IM norm in the event, annotates a win: 6862 So far, I was having the tournament of my life. I had played with two 2600 GM's, drawing with one (Shankland) and beaten a couple of higher rated. With 4.5/7, a 2504 performance, and an opponent rating average of 2402, I was in contention for an IM Norm. A win with GM Kekelidze would seal the deal. I'd achieve an IM Norm and possibly have a shot at a GM norm. It was clear to me what result I was playing for :) 1.e4 d6 A huge surprise. I was expecting a Sicilian or 1.e5. According to the databases, he has never played this before. 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 This is a very solid line for Black, and a great way to avoid theory. 4.Nf3  Personally, I don't think White has any advantage in the endgame after 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 There are several options for White now. I've inserted a game played fairly recently by the #1 player in the World. 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.Bg5 Be6 8.0-0-0 Nbd7 9.Nb5 Ke7 10.Nxd6 cxd6 11.Bb5 Rhd8 12.Nd2 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 a6 15.Bxd7 Rxd7 16.f3 Rc8 17.Kb1 Nh5 18.Nf1 f5 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Ne3 Bg6 21.Rd2 Ke6 22.b3 b5 23.Kb2 d5 24.Re1 Nxg3 25.hxg3 h5µ 0-1 Vallejo Pons,F (2697)-Carlsen,M (2843)/Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012/CBM 151 (41) 4...Nbd7 5.Bc4 5.g4!? is an entertaining option for those who seek wild and complicated games :) I tried this move a few months ago against an IM, but it was to no avail and I was lucky to escape with a draw. 5...Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Re1 c6 7...a6 8.a4 b6 is another playable line for Black. 8.a4 My knowledge of this line ended here. 8...h6 8.h6 is certainly not the only move. Black has other viable options, such as the most played 8...b6 after which White plays 9.d5 with the aim of fighting for the d5 square after 9...Bb7 10.dxc6 Bxc6 11.Bg5 9.b3 I had no plan here and was just playing moves based on vague ideas. [9.h3 is best here. 9...Re8 10.Ba2 To be honest, I don't understand this move but if it's played by the top GM's , dont' question it :) 10...Qc7 11.Be3 Nf8 12.a5 Bd7 13.d5 b5 14.axb6 axb6 15.Qd3 Reb8 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Nh4 Ne6 18.Nf5 Bf8 19.b4 Nf4 20.Bxf4 exf4 21.Nd4 Bb7 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.Bxd5 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Nxd5 25.exd5 Re8 26.Nc6 Qd7 27.Kf1 g6 28.Ra7 Qc8 29.c4 h5 30.b5 h4 31.Ra6 Qc7 32.Qd4 f3 33.gxf3 1-0 Balogh,C (2601)-Pavasovic,D (2578)/Austria 2011/EXT 2012] 9...Re8 10.Ba3 This is more of an artifical move. The bishop will never really pose any harm to the d6 pawn/square. 10...Qc7 11.Qd2 Nf8 The right plan for Black. The idea of a knight coming to f4 was intimidating to me. I decided to take action in the center. 12.d5 Unfortunately, this doesn't really do much other then preventing Black from using the e6 square for his Bishop or Knight. 12...Bg4? The bishop is just wasting tempi here. The immediate 12...Ng6 looked better to me. I'll probably be forced to play some ugly move like 13.g3 which really weakens the light squares around my king. 13.Qe3? A weak response from my side. Protecting the knight with 13.Re3 was much stronger. Now if Black plays like he did in the game, with 13...Ng6 14.h3 Bd7 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Rd1 White starts mounting serious pressure on d6. It looks like that a3 bishop comes in handy after all :) 13...Ng6 14.h3 Bd7 15.dxc6?! Here I was completely oblivious to Black's counterplay. Maintaining the tension with 15.Red1 is better. 15...bxc6 16.Red1 Rad8  It was now I realized that I'm actually in deep trouble. Black just plays Be6, followed by a central break with d5. 17.Ne2? Looking back, I have no clue what I was thinking when I played this. A knight coming to f4 is the least of my worries right now. [17.Rd2 was another move I'd considered, but I wasn't in favor of spoiling my structure after 17...Be6 18.Rad1 Bxc4 19.bxc4] 17...d5! 17...Nxe4 Another good move, which I thought was stronger is 18.Bxf7+ Kxf7 19.Qxe4 d5 20.Qe3 Bf6 and I can't even find a plausible move for me here. 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Bd3 dxe4 20.Bxe4 Ned5 21.Bxd5 Here I was losing spirit and would be content with a draw. Our silicon friend recommends 21.Qd3 but I really cannot see myself moving my queen "In the Line of Fire." 21...cxd5 22.c3 a5 A natural move, aiming to fix my queenside pawns. 23.b4 The only practical option if I want to win. Basically, it comes down to a race between his central pawns, and my passer pawns. 23...axb4 24.cxb4 d4 25.Qb3 Be6 26.Qb2 d3 27.Nc3 e4 28.Nb5 Qf4 After I played this, I started to panic because I realized that 28...Qc2 would win for him after 29.Qxc2 dxc2 30.Rxd8 Rxd8 31.Nfd4 Bb3! 32.a5 Bc4 and there is no feasible way to prevent Bxb5,Rd1. 29.Qd2 The only move. 29...Nd5 30.Qxf4 Nxf4 31.Nfd4 Bc4 32.Nc6 Ne2+! Preventing Nbd4. 33.Kh2 Bxb5? This throws away a major portion of the advantage. I noticed during the game that 33...Rd7 was simply winning for him. 34.Nxd8 Bxa4 35.Rd2 Nc3 36.Rc1? Returning the favor. 36...Ne2? Black would have a high probability of winning after 36...Nd1 37.Rdxd1 Bxd1 38.Rxd1 Rxd8 39.g4 Kf8 40.Kg3 g5! 37.Ra1 Rxd8 38.Rxa4 After the simplifications, I have no problem here. With 3 moves to go before the time control, Mikheil was down to 50 seconds, while I had 3 minutes. 38...f5 39.b5 Rb8 40.Rb4 Rb6? Mikheil errs on the last move before the time control. Now, I'm playing for the win.
41.g4
 I decided on this move over f3, because I thought that after his 41st move I can make use of his seventh rank weakness to set some mating traps. However, believe it or not, Black can draw with a study like continuation. [41.f3 This also wins. The reason I didn't play this move was because I thought that Black can do 41...e3 42.Rxd3 f4 but 43.Ra3 Ng3 44.Rxf4 e2 45.Ra1 Nf1+ 46.Kg1 Rxb5 47.Kf2 wins for White.] 41...g6 This loses immediately. [41...Nc3 also loses to 42.gxf5 Rxb5 43.Rxb5 Nxb5 44.Kg3 Nd6 45.Kf4 Nc4 46.Ra2; Black's brilliant resource is 41...Rf6!! I suggested this move to the computer, whereafter it produced the miraculous. 42.b6 fxg4 43.b7 Rxf2+ 44.Kh1 Rf1+ 45.Kg2 e3 46.b8Q+ Kh7 47.Rxe2 (47.Rb1 Rf2+ 48.Kh1 exd2 Amazingly enough, this is a draw. 49.Qb4 d1Q+! 50.Rxd1 g3 and White is forced to take the perpetual after 51.Qe4+ Kg8 52.Qe6+ Kh7 53.Qe4+ Kg8 54.Qe6+) 47...dxe2 48.Rb1 gxh3+ 49.Kh2 e1Q 50.Rxe1 Rxe1 Black easily holds a draw here, due to his numerous pawns. Even if his pawn on e3 was to be captured, he just puts his Rook on f6 and waits. 42.gxf5 gxf5 43.f3 Nc3 44.fxe4 fxe4 45.Rc4 Nb1 45...Nxb5 46.Rxe4 with a slow, technical win for White.; 45...e3 46.Rxd3 e2 47.Re3 Nxb5 48.Rb4+- 46.Rb2 d2 This poses no danger as my two rooks easily overcome Black's pawns. [46...Na3 47.Rxe4 Rxb5 48.Rxb5 Nxb5 49.Re3+- 47.Rxb1 e3 47...Rxb5 48.Rd1 e3 49.Re4 Rb3 50.Kg2+- 48.Re4 Rd6 49.Rd1 Rd3 50.Kg2  An extremely lucky win, which clinched me my first IM Norm! A fitting and conclusive irony is that after being unlucky with GM's, allowing them to slip away at the end of the game, I managed to slip away from a GM this time :) 1-0 Find out more about Akshat Chandra on his blog, Quest to GM and look for information on the New York International and ongoing DC International. |