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Ganguly,S (2631) - Barbosa,O (2538)
Indonesia Open Jakarta INA (4.2), 16.10.2011
[D17] Slav Defence: 5 a4 Bf5
Maneuvering of pieces to good squares, files, ranks or diagonals is an important aspect in middle game play. With active and strong pieces, coupled with proper coordination, one can have the initiative. The study in the art of maneuvering of pieces also requires knowledge on positional elements, strategy of good piece play and planning. The following game is an account of what transpired in a normal game between grand masters. What I would like to show here is how Black improve his position by bringing the pieces into good squares and to further improve the position by creating support points and operational base for advance pieces deep inside enemy territory. After attaining positional advantage then exploitation of enemy's weakness becomes an easier task.
1.d4
d5
2.c4
c6
3.Nf3
Nf6
4.Nc3
dxc4
5.a4
Bf5
6.Ne5
Nbd7
7.Nxc4
Nb6
8.Ne5
a5
9.f3
Nfd7
10.e4
Nxe5
11.exf5
Ned7
12.d5
[The text move is an imrprovement to 12.Bg5
which was played by Kuzubov against Rublevsky in Warsaw Poland, 2005. The game continued: 12...g6
13.Qc2
Bg7
14.0-0-0
Nf6
15.h4
Nfd5
16.Nxd5
Qxd5
17.Re1
0-0-0
18.Bxe7
Qa2
With Black having initiative in the queenside.]
12...Nf6
[12...cxd5
Favors White as in Nguyen Chi Minh (2381)-Savchenko,S (2510)/Longeville-les-Metz FRA 2011/1/2-1/2 (26) 13.Nxd5
e6
14.Nxb6
Bb4+
15.Bd2
Qxb6
16.Bb5
Qe3+
17.Kf1
Qxd2
18.Qxd2
Bxd2
19.fxe6
fxe6
20.Bxd7+
Kxd7
21.Rd1
Ke7
22.Rxd2
White having better pawn structure.
]
13.Qb3
[13.dxc6
Qxd1+
14.Nxd1
bxc6
15.Bd3
g6
16.0-0
Bg7
17.Be3
Nfd5
18.Bc5
0-0
19.Re1
Rfe8
with equal chances in Manea,A (2357)-Halldorsson,J (2165)/Bucharest ROU 2008/The Week in Chess 723/1/2-1/2 (47)]
13...Nfxd5
14.Nxd5
Nxd5
15.Qxb7
Rc8
16.Bd2
g6
To remove enemy unit occupying Black's territory and at the same time clearing g7-square for the dark-squared bishop.
.
Here, White has slight advantage because of better pawn structure and bishop pair.
17.Ba6
[17.Rc1!?
Qd7
(17...Bg7
18.fxg6
hxg6
19.Bb5=
) 18.Qxd7+
Kxd7
19.Bxa5
Ra8
20.b4
gxf5
Black's position is more promising as he can have active play in the center.]
17...Rc7
18.Qb3
Qa8
19.Bc4
Rd7
[19...Bg7
is also playable 20.Bxd5
cxd5
21.Qb5+
Qc6
22.Ke2
0-0
Black's position is safer.]
20.Bc3
Rg8
21.f6?!
The move appears strong at a glance but this gave Black opportunity to build a fortress for his king.
[The simple 21.fxg6
will enable White to maintain the initiative. 21...hxg6
22.0-0
White is better here because of the Black king's situation.
; Or even 21.Rd1
maintains White's positional advantage because of the pressure on d-file.
]
21...Rb7
22.Qa2
e6
23.0-0
Bd6
The dark-squared bishop is now active. [The exchange 23...Nxc3?!
will only reduce Black's defences. 24.bxc3
Qd8
25.Rab1
Rxb1
26.Rxb1
]
24.f4
[24.Rfe1!?
Qd8
25.Rad1+/=
White maintains the pressure in the center.
]
24...Qb8=
[24...Bxf4
25.Rae1
Qb8
26.Bxd5
cxd5
27.Qxd5+-
; 24...Ne3!?
25.Rfe1
(25.Rf2
g5
with good counterplay for Black.) 25...Nc2
26.Bxe6
Kf8
27.Rad1
Bc5+
28.Kh1
Nxe1
29.Rxe1
fxe6
30.Qxe6
Rf7
It would be difficult for White to prove that the scrifice is correct.]
25.Rae1
Kd7
The Black king must look for a safer place as the pressure along the e-file is increasing.and the possibility of a combination at e6.
. [25...Nxc3
26.bxc3
Rb2
27.Qa1=
]
26.Re4
[To lure Black in capturing f4 will have double edge complication, e.g.: 26.Re2
Bxf4
(26...Nxf4
This line is bad for Black 27.Rxf4
Bxf4
28.Bxe6+
Kd6
29.Re4
White has dangerous attack ) 27.g3
Qa7+
(27...Bxg3
28.hxg3
Qxg3+
29.Rg2
Qe3+
30.Kh1+-
) 28.Kh1
Bd6
And Black is okay. (28...Nxc3?
is inferior since it leads to 29.bxc3
Bd6
30.Bxe6+
Kc7
31.Bxf7+-
) ]
26...Qa7+
[26...Nxc3!?
27.bxc3
Rb2=
]
27.Kh1+/=
Rgb8
Finally, Black succeeded in bringing all his pieces into active position and as a result, Black has the inititive now.
28.Bd4
Bc5
29.Be5
Bd6
30.b3
Bxe5
31.fxe5
Qc5
Covering Black's potential weakness in the a3-f8 diagonal and the Black Queen is more actice here.
[31...Rd8
32.Rc1+/=
]
32.Qd2
h5
33.Rc1
Qb4
34.Qc2
[34.Qh6
Qa3
]
34...Qb6+/=
35.Re2
[35.Qd3
Rd8+/=
]
35...Rd8
In reality, the b3-pawn is not a weakness because it could be effectively protected. It is necessary that Black should shift concentration of his forces to the d-file as it is the only open file.
36.Qe4
[36.Rd2
Rc7=
]
36...Rc7
37.Rd2
Kc8
38.h3
Kb8
39.Kh2
Rcd7
40.Rd3
Nb4
Challenging White's control over d-file.
41.Rxd7
Rxd7
42.Rf1
c5
And Black creates a new operational base at d4.
43.Qf4
Nc2
44.Rf2
Nd4
The knight is very strong in its new base and now the b3-pawn can become a good target.
45.Bd3
Looking for new tactical opportunity like Bxg6.
[45.Rd2
Qb4
46.Rd1
Qc3=
]
45...Rd8=/+
[Inferior is 45...Nxb3
46.Bxg6
c4
47.Bxh5=
]
46.Be4
Qc7
47.Rd2
Ka7
[47...Nxb3??
Allows White to implement his planned combination. 48.Rxd8+
Qxd8
49.Bxg6+-
]
48.h4
Rb8
The weakness to the b3-pawn is now real.
49.Rd3
Rb4
[Not 49...Rxb3
50.Rxb3
Nxb3
51.Bxg6+/-
]
50.Re3?
[>=50.Kh3!?=/+
Rxb3
51.Rxb3
Nxb3
52.Bxg6
c4
53.Bxf7
Qxf7
54.Qxc4
And White has good drawing chances.
]
50...Nc6-+
51.Qg3
[51.g3
Nxe5
52.Kh3
Kb6-+
]
51...Nxe5
52.Kg1
[52.Kh3
Kb6
53.Bf3
Nd7-+
]
52...Kb6
53.Re1
Ng4
54.Qxc7+
Kxc7
55.Bxg6
fxg6
56.f7
Rb8
57.Rxe6
Rf8
58.Rxg6
Rxf7
59.Rg5
Re7
60.Rxc5+
[60.Kf1
Re5
61.Rxe5
Nxe5
62.Kf2-+
]
60...Kd6
61.Rc1
Re2
[61...Re3
62.Rb1-+
]
62.g3
[62.Rd1+
Kc5-+
]
62...Rb2
63.Rc8
Kd5
64.Kf1
Ke4
65.Rc5
[65.Ke1-+
]
65...Ne3+
66.Kg1
Kf3
67.Rc3
Rb1+
[67...Rb1+
68.Kh2
Kf2
69.Rxe3
Kxe3+-
] 0-1