Chess
Evolution
A "Do-Not-Play-Again" Move
By Etienne Bacrot and Arkadij Naiditsch
E. Bacrot (2710) R. Edouard (2587)
86th French Championship, Caen
Round 9, 23.08.2011 [D27]
Annotated by Etienne Bacrot & Arkadij Naiditsch
Black's choice of 11...Bd7?! is not the best solution in the position. Black
should stick to the more common 11...Na5 with very unclear play. White
chose the wrong reply with 12.Rad1 instead 12.Rfe1! would have given him
a clear advantage. After a few mistakes on both sides, Black couldn't stand the
pressure and blundered with 23...Bc5??.
Overall, an interesting fighting game, but less interesting theoretically: 11...
Bd7?! is simply a "do-not-play-again" move.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.00 a6 7.Bb3 Nc6 8.Nc3
cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.Bg5 00 11.Qd2 Bd7?!
12.Rad1?!
Not the best! The right move was:
12.Rfe1!
This is clearly the main move here.
12...Rc8
If Black wants to try the same idea as in the game, then now a surprise awaits
him: 12...Na5 13.Bc2 Nc4 14.Qe2 Nxb2?? Compared to the game, there is no
white rook on d1 under attack. 15.Bc1!+ Black's knight is trapped.
13.Rad1 Na5 14.d5 Nxb3 15.axb3 h6 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.d6+/- Caruana
Istratescu, Switzerland 2010.
12...Na5 13.Bc2 Nc4 14.Qe2
[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p1bbppp/p3pn2/6B1/2nP4/
2N2N2/PPB1QPPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 14"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p1bbppp/p3pn2/6B1/3P4/
2N2N2/PnB1QPPP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 15"]
a) 15.Rc1 Bc6
15...b5 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Be4 b4! 18.Bxa8 (18.Nb1 Na4 19.Bxa8 Qxa8 [19...
Bb5 20.Qd2 Qxa8 21.Qxb4 Bxf1 22.Kxf1 Qe8 23.Nbd2 Qb5+ 24.Qxb5 axb5
25.Ne4+/=] 20.Qc2 a5 21.Rfe1 Qd5=/+; 18.Qxb2 bxc3 19.Rxc3 Rb8 20.Qc2
g6 21.Rc1 Qb6=/+) 18...bxc3 19.Be4 Bb5 20.Qe3 Bxf1 21.Kxf1 Na4 22.Qd3
g6 23.Qxa6 Nb2 24.Rxc3 Bxd4 25.Rc2 Bf6 26.g3=
15...Rc8 16.Ne5 Rxc3 17.Bxf6 Rxc2 (17...Bxf6 18.Bxh7+ Kxh7 19.Rxc3 Kg8
20.Rh3 Bxe5 21.dxe5 Na4 22.Qh5 f5 23.exf6 Qxf6 24.Qh7+ Kf7 25.Rf3+)
18.Qxc2 Bxf6 19.Qxb2 Bb5 20.Rfe1 Qd6+/= The bishop pair promises Black
good compensation, but White is the only one who can play for the advantage.
16.Rb1 Qa5 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Ne4 Na4
18...Bb5 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Qe4 f5 21.Qf4 Bxf1 22.Qg5+ Kh8 23.Qf6+ Kg8
24.Ng5 Qc7 25.Qh6 f6 26.Nxe6 Qe7 27.Nxf8 Bd3
[FEN "r4Nk1/1p2q2p/p4p1Q/5p2/3P4/
3b4/PnB2PPP/1R4K1 w - - 0 28"]
[FEN "r4rk1/1p3p1B/p1b1p3/q3p3/
n2P4/8/P3QPPP/1R3RK1 b - - 0 21"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p1bbppB/p3pn2/6B1/3P4/
2N2N2/Pn2QPPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 15"]
15...Nxh7!
15...Kxh7 16.Qxb2 Bc6 17.Ne5 Kg8 18.Rd3+/= White has good attacking
chances on the kingside.
16.Bxe7 Nxd1
16...Qxe7 17.Qxb2 Rac8 18.d5 (18.Ne5 Nf6 19.Rfe1 Bc6 20.Nxc6 bxc6=)
18...Qc5 19.Ne4 Qc2 20.Qe5 Qxa2 21.dxe6 Bxe6 (21...Qxe6 22.Nd6 Qxe5 23.
Nxe5 Rc7 24.Rc1 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Nf6 26.Nxd7 Nxd7 27.Rc7 Nf6 28.Nxb7=)
22.Nd6 Rcd8 23.Rd2 Qa3 24.Nh4! with compensation
17.Bxd8 Nxc3 18.Qd2
[FEN "r2B1rk1/1p1b1ppn/p3p3/8/3P4/
2n2N2/P2Q1PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 18"]
18...Ne2+ 19.Qxe2 Bb5 20.Qe4 Bxf1 21.Kxf1 Rfxd8 22.Qxb7 Rdb8 23.Qc6
Rc8 24.Qa4 Rc1+ 25.Ke2=
[FEN "2rq1rk1/1p1bbppp/p3pn2/6B1/2nP4/
2N2N2/PPB1QPPP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 15"]
15.Bb3!
The best decision. Black can't defend against the logical d4-d5! which is
usually crushing in such structures.
15.Bd3 Nb6 16.Ne5 Bc6 17.Rfe1 leads to a typically unclear IQP position.
15...b5
15...Na5 16.d5 exd5 17.Bxd5+/-.
15...Nb6 16.Ne5+/= Bc6 17.Nxc6 Rxc6 (17...bxc6 18.Qxa6+/-) 18.Bxf6 Bxf6
19.d5 exd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Rd6 22.Bxb7 White is a clear pawn up
and has a big advantage, but Black still has some chances to fight for a draw
due to the opposite-coloured bishops.
15...Nd6 16.d5 exd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Rxd5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 Bb5 20.Qd2
Bxf1 21.Rxd6 Qxd6 22.Qxd6 Rc1
[FEN "5rk1/1p3ppp/p2Q4/6N1/8/1B6/
PP3PPP/2r2bK1 w - - 0 23"]
23.Bxf7+!+ Rxf7 24.Qd8+ Rf8 25.Qd5+ Kh8 26.Nf7+ Kg8 27.Nh6+ Kh8 28.
Qg8+ Rxg8 29.Nf7#
15...Bb5 16.a4 Na5 17.axb5 Nxb3 18.d5 exd5 19.bxa6 bxa6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.
Nxd5 a5 22.Rfe1+/16.Ne5 Nb6
16...Qc7 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.d5 exd5 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Nxd5+/=
17.Rfe1 h6
It may look as though Black is creating a weakness, but it was not easy to find
a good move in this position.
17...b4
[FEN "2rq1rk1/3bbppp/pn2pn2/4N1B1/
1p1P4/1BN5/PP2QPPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 18"]
18.Bxf6
18.d5!? exd5 19.Nxd7 (19.Nxd5 Nbxd5 20.Bxd5 Nxd5 21.Rxd5 Bxg5 22.
Nxd7 h6 23.h4 Bxh4 24.g3 Bg5 25.f4 Bf6 26.Qxa6 Re8 27.Nxf6+ Qxf6 28.
Rxe8+ Rxe8 29.Qxf6 gxf6 30.Kf2 Ra8 31.Rd4 Rxa2 32.Rxb4 h5 White has a
slightly better endgame, but Black can draw with correct play.) 19...Qxd7 20.
Qxe7 Qxe7 21.Rxe7 bxc3 22.bxc3 Rxc3 23.Ra7 Ra8 24.Rxa8+ Nxa8 25.Bxf6
gxf6 26.Rxd5 With a much better endgame.
18...Bxf6 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Ne4 Be7
20...Bxd4 21.Ng5 e5 22.Qe4 g6 23.Qh4 h5 24.Rxe5 Bxe5 25.Rxd7 Nxd7 26.
g4+/21.Qxa6+/-
[FEN "2rq1rk1/3bbpp1/pn2pn1p/1p2N1B1/
3P4/1BN5/PP2QPPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 18"]
18.Bxh6?!
This looks very pretty but it gives Black chances. White had better
possibilities:
18.Bh4 b4 19.d5 exd5 (19...Nfxd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Nxd7 Bxh4 22.Nxf8
Qxf8 23.Bxd5 exd5 24.Rxd5+) 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Bxd5 Bxe5
23.Qxe5 Re8 24.Qf4 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 Qf8 26.h4+/=
18.Bxf6! Bxf6 19.Qe4
[FEN "2rq1rk1/3b1pp1/pn2pb1p/1p2N3/
3PQ3/1BN5/PP3PPP/3RR1K1 b - - 0 19"]
[FEN "2rq1rk1/3b1p2/p3p1pp/1p2P3/4Q3/
1BN5/Pn3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 23"]
23.Bxe6! Bxe6 24.Rxd8 Rfxd8 25.Qh4!+/18.Bf4!? is also interesting with the idea Rd3 followed by Bxh6 or a
breakthrough with d4-d5. Sometimes the threat is stronger than its
execution :) a famous chess rule! 18...b4 Not best, but what else can Black
do?! (18...Bb4 19.Rd3 with a strong attack)
[FEN "2rq1rk1/3bbpp1/pn2pn1p/4N3/
1p1P1B2/1BN5/PP2QPPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 19"]
[FEN "2rq1rnk/3bbp2/pn2p2p/1p1PN3/8/
1BNR4/PP1Q1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 21"]
21...Nc4!?
The best defence!
21...b4?! 22.dxe6
22.Ne4 exd5 23.Bxd5 Bb5-/+
22...bxc3 23.bxc3 fxe6 24.Bxe6
After 24.Nxd7 Bg5! 25.Nxf8 Bxd2 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Ng6+ Kg7 28.Rxe6 Nf6
29.Ne5 Re8 the position is about equal.
24...Bxe6 25.Ng6+ Kg7 26.Rxe6 Bc5 27.Nxf8 Qxf8 unclear 28.Rf3 Qd8 29.
Rg3+ Kf7 30.Qe2
[FEN "2rq2n1/5k2/pn2R2p/2b5/8/
2P3R1/P3QPPP/6K1 b - - 0 30"]
A funny position. Black has three minor pieces for just one white rook, but
Black is probably lost! Don't ask me why, turn on your engines!
30...Be7 31.Rxg8 Kxg8 32.Rxe7+
This line would of course be very hard to calculate during the game.
22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Rd4
[FEN "2rq1rnk/3bbp2/p3p2p/3PN3/2pR4/
2N5/PP1Q1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 23"]
23...Bc5??
Black's first big mistake and also his last.
Black should have played:
23...Qe8! 24.Nxd7
24.Nxc4 with compensation Bb5 25.d6 Bg5 26.f4 Bh4 27.g3 Rxc4-/+
24...Qxd7 25.dxe6 Qc6 unclear 26.Nd5
[FEN "2r2rnk/4bp2/p1q1P2p/3N4/2pR4/
8/PP1Q1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 26"]
26...c3!
With the idea of preventing White from playing Qc3.
27.bxc3 Bg5 28.f4 Bh4 29.g3 fxe6! 30.Nb4 Qb7
Now, if White takes with 31.gxh4? then after 31...Nf6 it is very strange, but
now Black is simply mating White!
31.Rd7 unclear
24.dxe6! Bxd4 25.Qxd4
[FEN "2rq1rnk/3b1p2/p3P2p/4N3/2pQ4/
2N5/PP3PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 25"]
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