Grand Prix Events / 2015 World Open MODERN BENONI,
FIANCHETTO VARIATION (A62) IM Dean Ippolito (2520) GM Jianchao Zhou (2696)
43rd Annual World Open! (3), Arlington, Virginia, 07.02.2015
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 0-0 9. 0-0 Re8
The Benoni system has always been a strate-
gically risky opening, but it has its fans, including many of the great attacking players of the past.
10. Bf4 Na6 11. Nd2 Nh5 12. Be3 Nc7 13. a4 b6 14. Nc4 Ba6 15. Na3 Rxe3!
29.Nxc5 Qc4 30. Ne4 Bg7 31. Nb4 This looks like White is doing well, but Black
has a tactical resource. 31. ... Bxh3! 32. Bxh3 Qxe4+ And White’s position collapsed quickly after
this combination:
33. Kh2 Bf8 34. Rd4 Qxe3 35. Qd1 Nc4 36. Nd5 Qf2+ 37. Kh1 Rxd6 38. Qa1 Bg7 39. Ne7+ and White resigned.
The elite group of players had emerged at the A common Benoni sacrifice. Black gives up the
Exchange but permanently dam ages White’s pawn structure. The g2-bishop will have a hard time finding any useful employment (because of the obstacle on d5).
16. fxe3 Qe7 17. Nc2 Nf6 18. Rf4 Nd7 19. Qe1 Ne5 20. a5 b5 21. b4 Rd8 22. Rd1 Bc8 23. Kh1 a6 24. Ne4 Ne8
The problem with these kind of positions is
that it’s much more easy to play as Black. White, though materially ahead, will face difficulties in finding the proper plan.
25. h3 Nf6
top by now but there were only two decisive results among the leaders. GM Rauf Mamedov defeated GM Krikor Mekhitarian on board two with the white pieces and on board four, GM Alex Lenderman was able to win GM Alex Stripunsky’s queen for a rook and bishop and slowly convert that into a win. Only two players emerged as leaders after round four and the tournament heated up. Round five saw the clash between the two
leaders, Lenderman with the white pieces against Mamedov, who employed the Slav Defense. Both players showed their deep opening preparation until move 22 when White improved upon an existing game. Soon White managed to outplay Black and gained a significant advantage, but at the crucial moment he missed his chances and gave the initiative to Black. He had to defend a rook and bishop versus rook endgame which he successfully did and held the game to a draw.
SLAV DEFENSE (D17) GM Aleksandr Lenderman (2713) GM Rauf Mamedov (2696)
43rd Annual World Open! (5), Arlington, Virginia, 07.03.2015
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5 12. Ne3 gxf4 13. Nxf5 0-0-0 14. Qc2 Nc5 15. 0-0 fxg3 16. hxg3 a5 17. Rfd1 h5 18. Rxd8+ Qxd8 19. Rd1 Qf6 20. Ne4 Nxe4 21. Qxe4 Bc5 22. e3 Kb8
26. Rxf6 White loses his patience! 26. Nxf6+ Bxf6 27.
e4 and the position is still more comfortable for Black. (Take a look at the g2-bishop if you have any doubts!)
26. ... Bxf6 27. bxc5 dxc5 28. d6 Qe6 (see diagram top of next column)
28 October 2015 | Chess Life (see diagram top of next column)
Until here everything has been played before. Now White comes up with a novelty. 23. b3 Not an evalution-changing novelty, but this
position is much easier to play for White as he keeps improving his position. 23. Bh3 Ng6 24. Qc4 Bb4
This way of fixing the pawns is definitely
favorable for White, but a sad necessity for Black. The alternative 28. ... Kb8 gives White a huge edge after 29. f4 Ng4 30. Qxf6 Nxf6 31. Kf3 Re8 32. Nh6 Re7 33. Bf5 followed by e4-e5 next.
29. Qd6 Qxd6 30. Nxd6 Rd8 31. Nc4 Ng4 31. ... Nxc4 32. Rxc4 Rd3 33. Rf4 Rxb3 34.
Rxf7 Be1 and the presence of opposite-color bishops give Black chances for a draw, but it is still unpleasant.
32. Kf3 Rd3 33. Rb2 Nh6 34. Rb1 f6 35. Be6 Ng4 36. Bxg4?
Much stronger is 36. Rh1! Rxb3 37. Rxh5! and
the knight cannot retreat to e5 (rook on b3) and so is lost!
36. ... hxg4+ 37. Kxg4 Ka6 38. Kf3? Handing over the initiative to Black. I suspect
time trouble has played its part. 38. e4! It’s important to create a passed pawn as quickly as possible.
38. ... b5 39. axb5+ Kxb5 Suddenly Black has threats like ... Rxb3.
40. Ke4 Rxb3 41. Nd6+ Ka4 42. Ra1+ Ba3 43. Rh1 Rb8 44. Nc4 Bb4 45. Kd5 Rd8+ 46. Kc6 Kb3 47. Nxa5+ Bxa5 48. Kxc5
25. Qd4 Qxd4 26. Rxd4 Bc5 27. Rc4 Bb4 28. Bf1 Rd8 29. Rd4 Rxd4 30. exd4 Ne7 31. Ne3 Bd2 32. Be2 Bc1 33. b3 Bb2 34. Bxh5 f6 35. Nc4 ...... 35. ... Bc3 36. Kf1 Kc7 37. Ke2 b6 38. Kd3 Be1 39. Ke2 Bc3 40. Kd3 Be1, Draw agreed, Rodshtein, M (2632)-Vitiugov, N (2709), Plovdiv, 2010.
23. ... Rg8 24. Bh3 Ka7 25. Kg2 Re8 26. Rd2 Rg8
It is not easy to find a useful plan for Black. 27. Rc2 Bb4 28. Qd4+ c5
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