Rank & File

neatly by 18...Qd5 19.Qxd5 Nxe2+
20.Kg2 Nf4+ 21.Kf3 N6xd5 -+.
18...Qd5! 19.Rxc1 Qxg5+ 20.Kh1
Nh3! 21.Bxh3 Qxc1+ 22.Kg2 Qxb2
0-1
51st American Open
11.27.2015 A46
Round 3
Kiewra- Keaton -
Akobian, Varuzhan
Notes by Jack Peters
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 ....
The Torre Attack. Black chooses an
unusual reply.
3...b6 4.Bxf6 ....
White could occupy the center at
once with 4.e4 Bb7 5.Bd3,when Black
would have to spend a move on 5...h6
to persuade White to trade Bishop for
Knight.
4...Qxf6
In effect, White has lost a tempo.
5.e4 Bb7 6.Nbd2 ....
The effect of White’s loss of time
shows up in the variation 6.Bd3 c5
7.c3 Nc6 =+, when Black applies pressure
to White’s center.
6...c5 7.c3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 ....
White rejects the unpleasant 8.cxd4
Nc6 9.e5 Qg6=+.
8...Bc5 9.N4f3 g5!?
XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-+k+-tr0
9zpl+p+p+p0
9-zp-+pmq-+0
9+-vl-+-zp-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+-zP-+N+-0
9PzP-sN-zPPzP0
9tR-+QmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
Sharpest. Black presses his initiative
while White’s development lags. Simply
9...Nc6 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O Rad8
=+, planning ...d7-d5, favors Black
too.
10.h3 Nc6
White would parry 10...h5 by 11.e5
Qg7 12.Qe2, intending Nd2-e4 or
Nd2-c4.
11.Nc4? ....
XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-+k+-tr0
9zpl+p+p+p0
9-zpn+pmq-+0
9+-vl-+-zp-0
9-+N+P+-+0
9+-zP-+N+P0
9PzP-+-zPP+0
9tR-+QmKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
White had to try 11.Qe2 although
11...Ne5 =+ squelches e4-e5.
11...d5! -/+ 12.exd5 ....
Neither 12.Ncd2 d4-/+ nor 12.e5 Qf4-
/+ saves White.
12...O-O-O
Houdini considers 12...exd5 even
stronger. If 3.Qxd5 Qe7+ 14.Be2 Nb4
! -/+, White must yield the exchange
with 15.Qe5 as 15.Qd2? loses to 15...
Bxf3 16.gxf3 Rd8.
13.d6 h5! 14.Qe2 ....
Black crushes 14.Qd2? by 14...b5!
(White can survive 14...g4? 15.Qg5!)
15.Qxg5 Qxg5 16.Nxg5 bxc4 17.Nxf7
Bxf2+ 18.Kd2 Bg3 19.Nxd8 Rxd8
20.Bxc4 Rxd6+ 21.Kc2 Ne5 -+, when
Black’s extra piece will decide the
game.
14...Bxd6 15.Nxd6+ Rxd6 16.Qe3
Rhd8! -/+
It might appear that White has escaped,
but Black’s initiative persists.
17.Qxg5? ....
see diagram
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+ktr-+-+0
9zpl+-+p+-0
9-zpntrpmq-+0
9+-+-+-wQp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-zP-+N+P0
9PzP-+-zPP+0
9tR-+-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
Allowing a spectacular finish. Sturdiest
is 17.Be2 g4 18.Qg5, yet 18...Qxg5
19.Nxg5 Ne5 keeps White under
pressure. He could end up in a miserable
endgame after 20.hxg4 hxg4
21.f4 gxf3 22.Nxf3 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Nd3+
24.Bxd3 Rxd3-/+.
17...Nb4!!
Threatening mate by 18...Nc2+ 19.
Ke2 Ba6+.
18.cxb4 ....
White does not stop the threat by
18.Rc1 as Black continues, nevertheless,
with 18...Nc2+! 19.Rxc2 Rd1+
20.Ke2 Bxf3+ 21.gxf3 Qxg5 -+. White
postpones material loss only for a moment
by 18.Qc1 Nd3+ 19.Bxd3 Rxd3
-+.
18...Rd1+! 19.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 20.Kxd1
Bxf3+ 21.gxf3 Qxg5
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+k+-+-+0
9zp-+-+p+-0
9-zp-+p+-+0
9+-+-+-mqp0
9-zP-+-+-+0
9+-+-+P+P0
9PzP-+-zP-+0
9+-+K+L+R0
xiiiiiiiiy
Winning. White must soon drop another
pawn or two.
22.Ba6+ ....
Or 22.Be2 Qe5 -+, and the Queenside
pawns fall.
30 Rank & File Dec 2015-Jan-Feb 2016
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