GM Alexander Ivanov 2641
Mika Brattain 2341
82nd Mass Open (6)
Sicilian – Najdorf [B90]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 g6 7. g4 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. Be3 Nc6 10. Qd2 Bd7 11. O-O-O Na5
Forcing b3, but Black is not able to take advantage of the provoked weakness, as White's attack plays itself.
12. b3 Rc8 13. g5 Ne8 14. Kb1 Nc6 15. h4 Nc7 16. Nxc6 Bxc6 17. Bd4 Bxd4 18. Qxd4 Ne6 19. Qd2 Qb6 20. Nd5!
Trades off Black's good bishop and White's potential target on c3, but more importantly seals the center so White can overwhelm the kingside.
20… Bxd5 21. exd5 Ng7 22. Bf3 Qc5 23. Bg4 Rc7 24. h5 gxh5 25. Bxh5 Qc3 26. Be2
Black's h7 pawn will now fall, and his badly placed knight on g7 has little to say about it. Perhaps trading the queens first was also better: 26. Qxc3 Rxc3 27. Be2 f6 28. Rdg1 fxg5 29. Rxg5 Rxf2 30. Bd3+-
26... e5?
The pawns drop like flies now. After 26... Qxd2 27. Rxd2 f6, White does not have Rdg1 mentioned in the previous line anymore, although he does retain an advantage. 28. Bd3 fxg5 29. Bxh7+ Kf7 30. Rd3 Ne8 31. Rg1 e5 32. Rxg5 Ke7±)
27. dxe6 fxe6 28. Qxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxd6 Rxf2 30. Bd3 Nf5 31. Rxe6 Nd4 32. Bxh7+ Kf7 33. Rf6+!?
A very human move to simplify into an advantageous endgame, but White had better with 33. Rb6 Nxc2 (33... Rc7 34. Be4 is crushing) 34. g6+ Kf8 35. Rxb7 Na3+ 36. Ka1 Nc2+ 37. Kb2 Rg3 38. Rc1 (Game over)
33... Rxf6 34. gxf6 Kxf6 35. Be4 Rc7 36. Rh5 Ne6 37. Kb2 Ke7??
This blunder ends the game. Better was 37... b5 38. Bd3 Nc5 39. Bf1 Ke6. Black's defensive task is far from easy, but he has chances.
38. Bxb7 a5 39. Be4 Nc5 40. Bd5 Kd6 41. Bf3 Rc8 42. Rd5+ Kc6 43. Rd8+ Kc7 44. Rxc8+ Kxc8 45. a3 Kc7 46. b4 Na6 47. Be2 Nb8 48. Bb5 1-0
Jason Wang 1167
Robert E. King 1496
82nd Mass Open (3)
Queen’s Gambit Declined [D35]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 e6 5. e3 Bb4 6. c5 Ne4 7. Qc2 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Ba5 9. Bd3 f5 10. Nf3 O-O 11. h3 Nd7
12. O-O Nf6 13. Rab1 h6 14. Ne5 Bc7 15. Bh2 Ne4 16. Bxe4 dxe4
White has played quite well up to his point (especially considering his rating!). The rook on b1 and knight on e5 keep Black's queenside bishop and rook entombed. The dark squares are dominated by White and he will logically play for a kingside breakthrough.
17. Qe2 Qg5 18. Nc4 Bxh2+ 19. Kxh2 Rf6 20. Ne5 Rf8 21. g3 a5 22. h4 Qd8 23. c4 Kh7 24. Qh5
24… Rf6
Notice how Black can't do anything except shuffle his pieces aimlessly. On the other hand, White could do a million things to slowly improve his position. The monster on e5 is worth more than the c8 bishop and a8 rook at the moment.
25. Qe2 g5??
Voluntarily opening the floodgates!
26. hxg5 hxg5 27. Kg2 g4 28. Rh1+ Kg7 29. Rh2 Rh6??
The last mistake, but invasion on the h-file was inevitable anyway.
30. Rxh6 1-0
GM Alexander Ivanov 2641
FM Christopher Chase 2356
82nd Mass Open (3)
Modern Defence [B06]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 a6
Chase's pet system.
5. Nf3 Nd7 6. Bc4 e6 7. a4 b6
In systems like these, Black accepts a slightly worse position out of the opening and tries to keep his pieces and pawns dynamic. This will often lead to Black outplaying a lower rated opponent. However, GM Ivanov makes tearing apart this opening seem easy.
8. d5!
I like this move. The resulting structure makes it difficult for Black to get his pieces to good squares and do anything constructive.
8… Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 e5 10. O-O Ndf6
Black tries to keep his kingside dark squares covered. It was better to develop the other knight to f6 though, as the knight is needed on the queenside, e.g. 10... Ngf6 11. Nd2 (11. Bd3 Nc5) 11... O-O 12. f3 Bb7 13. a5 b5 14. Be2 c6
11. Bd3 h6 12. a5 b5 13. Ne1 g5 14. f3 Ne7 15. c4
Black attempts to conjure up some kingside play, but it's too slow and now White breaks through on the queenside.
15… bxc4 16. Bxc4 Ng6 17. Nd3 Nd7
And the knight returns to d7 anyway! The rest of Black's pieces lie on the back rank.
18. Bb3 O-O 19. Ba4
Threatening to trap the rook with Bc6 and Ba7
19… Nb8
What a depressing move to have to play.
20. c4
The next foot soldier comes ramming in!
20… f5 21. c5 f4 22. Bf2 g4 23. fxg4 Qg5 24. Ne1 Nd7
It seems strange to not take the g4 pawn, but the position is hopeless anyway. It's comical to see the queenside knight continuously looking for a home. 24... Bxg4 25. Nf3 Qh5 (25... Bxf3 26. Qxf3 and c6 is coming anyway) 26. c6
And black's a8 rook and b8 knight will never get out.
25. cxd6 cxd6 26. h3
The rest is easy.
26… Qe7 27. Rc1 Nf6 28. Bb6 Bd7
(28... Nxe4 29. Qd3)
29. Nf3 Rac8 30. Bc6 Kg7 31. Qa4 Bxc6 32. dxc6 Qe6 33. Rfd1 Ne8 34. Qa3 Qf6 35. Qd3 Ne7 36. Qxa6 Rxc6 37. Rxc6 Nxc6 38. Qb7+ Ne7 39. a6
1-0
FM Charles Riordan 2406
Nathan Smolensky 1938
82nd Mass Open (3)
Queen’s Indian [E13]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5.
Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bb7 7. Nd2!?
Interesting idea. White tries to expand in the center before developing his kingside.
7… c5
Striking at the center. Black could also have just castled. (7... O-O 8. e3 d6 9. f3 Nbd7 10. Bd3 Bxc3 11. bxc3 e5)
8. d5!?
Tempting, but this leaves the pawn overextended if Black replies correctly. Better was 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. Qc2 d5
8... Bxc3 9. bxc3 d6
After 9... Qe7! White is uncomfortable. He must simultaneously hold on to the d-pawn and develop his kingside. 10. Qb3 (10. e4 exd5 11. cxd5 g5) g5 11. Bg3 exd5 12. Rd1 d4 13. cxd4 cxd4 14. Qb2 Nc6 15. Nf3 Ne4 16. Nxd4 Nxd4 17. Rxd4 O-O-O and White's kingside is still sleeping.
10. e4 e5?
It was better to keep the tension and simply castle, as Black would then have the choice of opening the E-file at one point. It's always important to not destroy your options unless absolutely necessary.
11. Bd3 Nbd7 12. f3 Qc7 13. Nf1 Nh5 14. Ne3 Nf4 15. Bc2 Ba6 16. Bf2 O-O 17. h4 h5 18. g3 Ng6 19. Bd3 Nf6 20. a4 Bc8 21. a5
White has slowly fixed the pawn structure into one where only he is able to have play. There is no clear plan for Black, and these positions are terrible to defend. Also notice how White does not need to castle as his king is in no danger of attack.
21… bxa5 22. Qa4 Bd7 23. Qxa5 Qb6 24. Kd2!
The white rooks infiltrate. Black is basically helpless.
24… Qxa5 25. Rxa5 Rfb8 26. Rha1 Rb7 27. Kc2 Ne7 28. Nf1 Nc8 29. Nd2 Rab8 30. Rb1 Rxb1 31. Nxb1 Ne8 32. Nd2 Nc7 33. Nb3
33… Be8 34. Nxc5!
The breakthrough comes. Black's pieces are in poor position to stop the rolling pawns.
34… dxc5 35. Bxc5 f6 36. Be3 Kf7 37. c5 Bd7 38. c4 Ne8 39. c6 Bxc6 40. dxc6
White won on time.
1-0
Robert Holmgren 1846
Robert J. King 2053
82nd Mass Open
Sicilian [B33]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bf4?
This just loses a tempo.
7… e5 8. Bg5 a6 9. Bxf6 gxf6 10. Na3 b5 11. Nd5 Be6
11... f5 is a lot more direct and effective.
12. c3 Rc8?
On 12... Rb8 The rook doesn't do anything on c8. It is actually needed on b8 to defend against a possible future a4.
13. Nc2 Bxd5 14. Qxd5!?
(14. exd5! Ne7 15. a4±)
14...Ne7 15. Qd1 Qb6 16. Be2 Bg7 17. O-O
(17. a4!)
17... O-O 18. Kh1
The incorrect plan. White has to prevent d5 and play on the queenside rather than the kingside.
18… Rcd8 19. a4
Right move, wrong time. Ne3 was absolutely needed to contain d5.
19... d5 20. exd5 Nxd5 21. Qe1 f5
Aggressive, but also possible was 21... bxa4 22. Nb4 (22. Rxa4 Qb3-+) 22... Nxb4 23. cxb4 Rd4 24. Rxa4 Rb8 25. b3 Rxb4 26. Rxb4 Qxb4 27. Qxb4 Rxb4 28. Bc4=, although Black was probably playing for the win at this point.
22. axb5 axb5 23. Ne3 Ne7 24. Qb1?
Letting the pig get onto the seventh rank.
24… e4!?
(24... f4 25. Nf5 Nxf5 26. Qxf5 Rd2)
25. Kg1 Rd2 26. Re1 f4
26... Rfd8 would bring in all the pieces. White had little to do anyway.
27. Nf1 e3?!
28. f3?
Black's bluff works. In general, it's better to not play moves that just look plain ugly. You would be surprised how far your instinct can take you. White would have been better after 28. Nxd2 exf2+ 29. Kh1 fxe1=Q+ 30. Qxe1, or 28. fxe3 fxe3 29. Kh1 Rd6 30. Bd3
28... Rdd8 29. Kh1
I didn’t understand the point of this move.
29… Ng6 30. Qf5 b4 31. Rac1 Rc8 32. cxb4 Rxc1 33. Rxc1 Qxb4 34. Rb1 Bxb2 35. Qc2 Rb8 36. g3 Qd4 37. Bd3 Rb4 38. Bxg6?
The bishop was White's better minor piece. White's knight has nowhere to go and is basically doing nothing. A large part of chess comes down to deciding when and when not to trade material.
38… hxg6 39. gxf4 Bc3
Not best (39... Qxf4 40. Qe2 (40. Rxb2 Rxb2 41. Qxb2 Qxf3+ 42. Kg1 e2 43. Qc1 exf1=R+ 44. Qxf1 Qxf1+ 45. Kxf1 Kg7-+)
40. Rxb4 Bxb4 41. Qe2
41. Qa4! saves White. He is threatening Qe8+ winning the e-pawn as well as Nxe3. Always look for resources no matter what the position!
41... Bc5 42. Kg2 Qxf4 43. Ng3 Qd4 44. Kh3 Bd6 45. Nf1 Bf4 46. Kg2 f5 47. Kh3 Kh7 48. Kg2 Bh6 49. Kg1 f4 50. Kg2 Bg5 51. Kg1 Bh4 52. Kh1 Bf2
(52... Bf2 53. Kg2 Kh6 54. Kh3 Qe5 55. Kg2 Kh5 56. Kh3 Qf5+ 57. Kg2 Kh4 58. Kh1 Qg5-+)
0-1
Daniel Tiedemann 1751
Robert Babcock 1507
82nd Mass Open
Robatsch [B06]
1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. f4 e6 4. Nc3 c6
Needless. d5 can be played immediately.
5. Nf3 d5 6. e5 b6 7. Be3 Nd7 8. Bd3
Observe and compare the speed of development for each side.
8… a6 9. g4
Fun fun fun!
9… c5 10. f5 cxd4 11. Bxd4 Nc5 12. f6 Nxd3+ 13. Qxd3 Bf8 14. O-O-O Bd7 15. g5
The only Black piece not on its home square is the d7 bishop. One by one, White's pawns advance as far as they can go.
15... h6 16. h4 Bc5??
16... h5 closes the kingside and forces White to find a less direct way to win.
17. h5 Bxd4 18. Nxd4 Qc7 19. hxg6 Qxe5 20. g7
20… Qxg5+ 21. Kb1 Qxf6 22. gxh8=Q Qxh8 23. Qe3 Rc8 24. Nf3 Bc6 25. Nxd5 Ba4 26. Nc3 Bc6 27. Rhf1 Nf6 28. Ne5 Qh7 29. Rxf6
1-0
Stephen Brudno 1928
Nithin Kavi 1908
82nd Mass Open
King’s Indian - Sämisch [E84]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 Nc6 7. Nge2 a6 8. Qd2 Rb8 9. Nc1 e5 10. d5 Nd4 11. N1e2 c5 12. dxc6 Nxc6 13. Rd1 Be6 14. b3 Qa5 15. Nd5
(15. Qxd6 Nd4!)
15... Qxd2+?!
Rarely is it a good idea to voluntarily head into an inferior endgame. In this case, White has the better pawn structure, a strong knight on d5, and all the winning chances. Better was 15... Nxd5 16. exd5 Nb4 17. Nc3 (17. dxe6 Nd3#) 17... Bf5
16. Rxd2 Bxd5
Trading the knight off, but opening the c-file.
17. cxd5 Ne7 18. Rc2 Rbc8 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Kd2 Nd7 21. Nc3 b5 22. Bd3
It might not look like it, but the endgame is already near lost for Black. All of White's pieces are working towards the queenside, while Black's only defensive piece over there is the rook on c8. If the knight on d7 goes to c5, b4 will drive it away.
22… f5
May as well try something on the kingside. Certainly better than 22... Nc5 23. b4 Nxd3 24. Kxd3 Kf8 25. a4+-
23. Rc1?!
An inaccuracy. 23. b4 with a4 next is the simplest way to win.
23... Nc5 24. Bb1 f4 25. Bf2 g5 26. h3
Not needed.
26… Ng6 27. b4
Finally, it comes.
28… Nd7 28. Bd3 Nh4 29. Bf1 Bf6 30. a4 Black's queenside crumbles.
30… bxa4 31. Nxa4 Rb8 32. Rb1 Bd8 33. Rb3?!
33. Bxh4 gxh4 34. Bxa6 is simplest.
33... Nb6 34. Nb2 Ra8 35. Ra3 Nd7 36. Rxa6 Rxa6 37. Bxa6 Bb6
(37... Nxg2 38. Nc4+-)
38. Bxb6 Nxb6 39. Bf1 Kf7 40. Kc3 Ke7 41. Nc4 Nxc4 42. Kxc4 Kd7 43. Kb5 Kc7 44. Ka6 Ng6 45. Ka7 Nf8 46. Bb5!
An important move, cutting off the knight. Now it's over.
46… Ng6 47. Bc6 Ne7 48. Bb7 Ng6 49. b5 Nf8 50. b6+ Kd8 51. Bc6
1-0
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