Tactics from World Chess Team Championship

Written by Administrator

Monday, 09 December 2013

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By GM Kevin Spraggett, Canada, FIDE 2544
Kevin's blog (parental advisory)

CORNERED!

GM Kryvoruchko, Yuriy

GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian

From Round 8 at the World Team Championships in Turkey. Position after White’s 40th move (40.Kg2) Black must make his move to reach time control. There is no doubt that Black is suffering, but White still does not have a knock-out blow and so all is not lost. Queen and double-Rook endings are notoriously difficult to play, both for the defender and attacker. Here Black should content himself to play a waiting game, something like retreating the Queen to e7, patiently biding his time. Let White worry about exploiting his small but clear positional edge…

Nepomniachtchi playing against Kryvoruchko , still in the opening phase of the Russia vs Ukraine match. Russia won this match, overtaking the Ukraine, Nepo’s victory being key.

INSTEAD, Black chose to activate his Queen behind enemy lines:

40…Qa1?

Not such a bad idea, but in this position the decisive mistake that White was hoping for

HOW CAN WHITE PUNISH BLACK?

GM L’Ami,Erwin

GM Petrosian, Tigran L

World Team Championship, Turkey. Position after 28 moves. Black’s position is riddled with pawn weaknesses and his last move (28…Nf6) brings about an abrupt, but inevitable, end.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

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GM Shoker, Samy

GM Nepomniachtchi, Ian

Turkey, WCTC . Position after 21 moves of play. Black’s last move, 21…Rd6, is a mistake that allows White to win material. Do you see it?

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN MATERIAL!

GM Ipatov,A

GM Aronian,L

From the World Team Championship. Position after 38 moves, this part of the game, no doubt, taking place when both players were short of time (the time control is 40 moves). Black is dead, but still kicking (!). Time to put him out of his misery…

WHITE TO PLAY AND FORCE MATE!

GM Giri,A

GM Kramnik,V

Turkey. Position after White’s 33rd move (33.Bxc6). It has been a wild,complex fight so far. Probably both players are also short of time. Kramnik’s sacrífice can not be taken because 34.Qb6+ would be decisive. In the game continuation Giri played the imprecise 33…f3, and while this might not lose with correct play, Kramnik emerged at time control with a won game (Giri resigned on move 41).

HOWEVER, Black is not the least bit worse in the position above (!)…but he must still find the BEST move. This is your task.

WHAT MOVE DID GIRI MISS?

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SOLUTIONS

Nepomniachtchi, Ian–Kryvoruchko, Yuriy: 41.Rc3! The Queen is cut off! All of a sudden Black is dead lost! The game continued 41…Rde8?! ( Black should get desperate, but there is little that can be recommended: 41…Rg6 42.Qc2 Qe1 43.f4 Re6 ( 43…Re8 44.e5 ) 44.e5 with a huge advantage. Little better is 41…a5 as either 42.Rxa5 or (even better) 42.Pxa5 does not solve much ) 42.Qc2! 1-0 Only now Black realizes that he loses his Queen to the coming Rd1

Petrosian, Tigran L.–L’Ami, Erwin: 29.Qxa5! 1-0 White emerges a piece up after 29…PxQ 30.RxR+ and 31.Rb7

Nepomniachtchi, Ian–Shoker, Samy: 22.Nxb7! Qxb7 23.Bxg3! fxg3 24.Bc4+! bxc4 25.Rxd6 Rb8 26.Qc3 with an extra exchange and a big positional advantage.

Aronian, Levon - Ipatov, Alexander: 39.Rxh7! and Black resigned (Qa7+ followed by checkmate is coming)

Kramnik, Vladimir - Giri, Anish: 33...Rc8! allows Black to equalize. The game is likely to end in a perpertual given by either White or Black.