Open Events/ 2014 World Open
The last few moves were natural and logical. After making my 11th move I offered a draw—it seemed to me that as my opponent’s opening play lacked aggression that I should check his intentions.
12. dxe6!? Kovalyov played this without hesitation.
If he continued in a Benoni spirit—12. e4 exd5 13. cxd5 (13. exd5 Bf5 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Qxd3 Nd7 poses no real problems for Black) 13. ... Re8, I would be fine—in such positions an exchange of knights usually favors Black—he has no problem atic pieces and White’s space advantage feels somewhat less.
12. ... Bxe6
Of course taking with the pawn was worse—12. ... fxe6?! 13. Rad1 and the d6- and e6-pawns are now weaknesses.
13. Rad1 GM Illia Nyzhnyk
Bc2, winning the Exchange with an unclear position after the sample variation 18. Qf3 Bxd1 19. Rxd1 Qh4 20. e4 Rad8 21. g3 Qe7 22. a3 Nc6 23. Nd5 Qe6 24. Bg5 Ne5.
14. ... d4 Forced, but not bad at all. 15. exd4 cxd4 16. Nb5 Bf5 Again the only reasonable move.
White’s intentions are easy to foresee: He
wants to proceed with Bc1, b2-b3, Bf3 etc., developing strong pressure against the d6- pawn and the central d5-square. I did not want to just wait and see, therefore my next move is basically forced—now or never!
13. ... d5! Making use of the unfortunate position
of the d2-bishop, where it temporarily blocks the d1-rook.
14. Bc1 White could have also continued: 14.
cxd5 Nxd5 15. Bc4 (in the case of 15. Bc1 Nb4 16. Rxd8 Nxc2, play would transpose into an approximately equal endgame.) 15. ... Nb4 16. Qe4 and here Black has a little tactic at his disposal: 16. ... Bf5!? 17. Qxb7
32 October 2014 | Chess Life 17. Bd3
Just checking ... 17. ... Bg4 18. Be2 Anton chose this move which allows me
to repeat the position over the possible line 18. f3 a6 19. fxg4 axb5 20. h3 Rxa2 21. Bg5 Ra6 22. cxb5 Rd6. In this compli cat - ed position, both sides have their trumps; Black has active enough pieces and a strong d4-pawn that compensate for his opponent’s pair of excellent bishops and some pressure along the f-file. Also, White’s pawn structure is somewhat spoiled—look at those doubled pawns on both sides of the board.
18. ... Bf5 19. Qb3 This time Kovalyov shows his hand and
This is the position I had in mind after
I decided to play 13. ... d5. The next few moves will decide whether Black can hold this rather fragile central construction.
20. Bf3 Direct attempts to win the d4-pawn
don’t work: 20. Be3? dxe3 21. Rxd8 exf2+ 22. Rxf2 Raxd8 23. Rf4 Rfe8, and despite being down a queen for only a rook and bishop, Black has an overwhelming posi - tion; 20. Nxd4? Bxd4 21. Be3 Nc5 22. Qb4 a5 23. Qa3 Ne6 and Black is winning.
makes the most ambitious move. The pawn on d4 is in real danger now.
19. ... Ne4
PHOTO BY ERIC ROSEN
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