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Game of the Week

By Sergey Shipov

GM Shipov Analyzes the Game of
the Week, September 25 - October
1

The new World Champion U20:
Capablanca’s successor or a king for a
day?

The world junior championships have been held frequently in recent years. It is difficult
by now to trace all the champions who won these tournaments. Sadly, one has to come to
the conclusion that the title of the World Champion U20 has lost its former prestige. First,
not all of the strongest players take part there. For example, Ponomariov, Bacrot, Grischuk
and other upstarts did not play in Ereven. Second, these championships are held too
frequently. And third, the guys who win these tournaments not always show successful
performance in the tournaments of a higher rank, where they are invited as the titleholders.
Tal Shaked’s failure is a typical example.

The Cuban Lazaro Bruzon has convincingly (1.5 points ahead of the rest) won the
championship in Erevan, which ended last week. It is difficult to give a precise conclusion
about his prospects by now. Lazaro’s play is energetic and positionally literate. There are
already too many chess players in his motherland, so the young prodigy has a perfect
environment for his creative growth. The nearest time, particularly, the one that is left
before the next championship, will become decisive in his chess career. His immediate task
is to play successfully in his nearest competitions. Then he will swim with the current! I
think, that the organizers of the prestigious round robin tournaments should consider the
young Cuban player as a possible participant, in order to maintain proper geographical
variety in their competitions.

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Bruzon,L (2534) - Ghaem Maghami,E (2488) [B42]
WJun Yerevan ARM (10), 29.09.2000

This game defines the new junior champion perfectly. He places his pieces correctly first,
then the creative process begins!

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.0–0 d6 7.c4 Be7

A rather passive move. Black should develop his king’s bishop to g7 here: 7...g6, and it is
much more difficult for White to attack the K-side in this case.

8.Qe2 0–0 9.b3 b6 10.Bb2 Bb7 11.Kh1 Nbd7N

The well known GM to be also failed to defend this position: 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.
Nc3 Qc7 14.Rae1 Rfe8 15.f4 Nd7 16.e5 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nf8 18.Qh5 Ng6 # 19.Rxf7! Kxf7 20.
Qxh7 Bxg2+ 21.Kxg2 Nf4+ 22.Kh1 Bf8 23.Rf1 Ke7 24.Rxf4 and Black resigned soon,
Smetankin,S-Movsesian,S/Prague 1995/1–0 (28)

12.Nc3 Rc8 13.f4

Black has played out the hedgehog system in the worst possible way. The white bishop is
perfectly positioned and the attack against the black king will start soon.

13...g6

Similar positions arise after 13...Qc7 14.Rae1 g6 15.e5

14.e5 dxe5?

A mistake. Black opens the file for the white f1–rook. He should play 14...Nh5 here, and
then failing is the strike 15.exd6 Bxd6 16.Nxe6? due to 16...Qh4!

15.fxe5 Nh5 16.Be4!

White keeps his e5-pawn, which restricts the black pieces and creates the necessary
prerequisites for a mating attack.

16...Qc7 17.Rad1 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Nc5

Extremely bad for Black is 18...Qxe5 19.Nc6, and just bad for him is 18...Nxe5 19.Ncb5
Qb8 20.Nxe6!

19.Qe3 Qb7 20.Rf3 Ng7 21.Ba3!?

The Cuban junior plays widely, across the whole board. However, he blunders a bit at the
same time... 21.Rdf1 suggests itself.

21...Rcd8

Here Black could have sophisticated the play significantly: 21...Nxb3! 22.Bxe7 Nxd4 23.
Qxd4 (23.Bxf8 Ngf5!) 23...Qxe7 24.Ne4 Rfd8 25.Nd6 Qg5!

22.Qh6

The stakes are very high. Either White gives checkmate, or ... he fails to do so! Again, the

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strongest continuation for White seems to be 22.Rdf1

22...b5?

Black does not feel the disaster. After 22...f6! the position is totally unclear.

23.Rh3 Nh5

Before 24.Nd5!

24.Nd5!

The one who plays the hedgehog system must
calculate the possibility of this strike literally
on every move!

24...Rxd5!

The only way to continue the struggle. White’s
setup is concealed in the variation 24...exd5 25.
Rxh5 gxh5 26.Nf5 Ne6 27.Nxe7+ Kh8 28.Qf6
+ Ng7 29.Nf5 Rg8 30.Nxg7, and after
capturing the g7-knight Black loses the d8-
rook.

25.cxd5 Qxd5 26.Qc1!

A literate move. Having won the exchange, Lazaro coordinates his pieces competently.

26...Rd8 27.Rc3 Qe4

After 27...Ne4 28.Bxe7 Nf2+ 29.Kg1 Nxd1 30.Qxd1 Qxd4+ 31.Qxd4 Rxd4 32.Rc8+ Black
is checkmated in the endgame, being a pawn up!

28.Bxc5 Bxc5 29.Nxe6!

A graceful conclusion! After the trivial 29.Rxc5 Rxd4 White should still display some
technique to win the game.

29...Rxd1+ 30.Qxd1 fxe6 31.Rxc5

It is just the same, but without the black f7-pawn. Now technique is unnecessary - Black
resigned.

1–0

Sasikiran,K (2573) - Bruzon,L (2534) [D59]
WJun Yerevan ARM (11), 30.09.2000

The opponent of the young champion has recently won the strong round robin tournament
in India, his homeland. He also has the higher rating than the Cuban. However, this game
produces the impression that a player of a much higher class is playing with the black
pieces...

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 0–0 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6

The Tartakower - Makogonov - Bondarevsky system.

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8.cxd5

An imprecision. 8.Bd3 is considered to be the strongest continuation.

8...Nxd5! 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxd5 exd5

Simplification of the position is to Black’s benefit. He completes his development easily
and successfully fights for the center.

11.Rc1 Be6 12.Bd3

White cannot prevent the c7-c5 thrust: 12.Qc2 Rc8! , and then the white c2-queen comes
under attack.

12...c5 13.dxc5

If White avoids trading off the pawns on c5, then Black conducts a clear plan of the attack
on the Q-side, including c5-c4, b6-b5 and so on. Of course, he does so not immediately, but
after completing his development.

13...bxc5 14.0–0 Nd7 15.e4 d4!

Karen Asrian played weaker against the Indian: 15...dxe4 16.Bxe4 Rad8 17.Bb1 Qf6 18.Rc3
± in the Linares open last year.

16.Nd2

An attempt to attach the f2-pawn to the play fails. If White puts a pawn on b3, then Black
can play a7-a5-a4!, thanks to which he can organize a couple of passed pawns in the center.

16...Ne5 17.Bb1?

White’s first obvious mistake, which is the last one at the same time. White should not
yield control over the c4-sqaure. 17.Qc2

17...c4!

The black pawns approach dangerously close to the first rank.

18.h3

Bad is 18.f4 Ng4

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Before 18...g5!N

18...g5!N

A novelty. The Cuban junior is playing in a
good positional style: he secures the e5-
knight’s position, which is threatened to be
driven away from the center by f2-f4.
Obviously, Black has an advantage. The elder
player from Russia acted in a rather
combinational style, but achieved no success
after: 18...Bxh3 19.gxh3 Qg5+ 20.Kh1 Qh4 21.
Nf3 Qxh3+ 22.Nh2 Rab8 23.Rg1 Rxb2 24.
Rg3 Qd7 25.f4 Ng6 26.Rxc4 Nxf4 (26...
Qb5!?) 27.Rxd4 Qc7 28.Rb3 Rg2 29.Rd2
Belozerov,A-Kuzmin,S/Orel/1997/1/2–1/2 (32)

19.b3
After 19.Nf3 Nxf3+ 20.Qxf3 Rab8, the weakness of the b2-pawn is clear.

19...cxb3

In my opinion, even stronger is 19...c3 20.Nf3 Nxf3+ 21.Qxf3 f6! (in order to meet e4-e5
with f6-f5!) 22.Rfd1 Rad8, and White has nothing to do, while Black retains a lot of
possibilities of improving his position, for example: a7-a5-a4.

20.axb3

After 20.Nxb3 strong is 20...d3, and the black pawn is untouchable: 21.Bxd3? Rad8 22.Nc5
(or 22.Rc3 Nxd3 23.Rxd3 Bc4) 22...Nxd3 23.Nxd3 Qa3–+

20...Rac8 21.Qe2

Who knows, maybe White should trade off the strong black knight by 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.
Nf3 Nxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Rc3 24.Qd1 Qb4, trying to create then the counter play on the K-side:
25.h4!

21...Rc3! 22.Qb5 Qc7 23.Rcd1 d3

White is pressed down to the first two ranks. He could not break free...

24.Qb4 Rb8 25.Qd4 Qc5!

A stern decision! Black leaves his opponent no counter chances in the endgame.

26.Qxc5 Rxc5 27.Rc1 Rbc8 28.Rxc5 Rxc5

The poor white bishop has been stuck on b1 from the very opening.

29.Re1

More stubborn is 29.Rd1, after which Black must first fix the weak b3-pawn by 29...a5!,
and then capture it.

29...Rc3 30.g3

After 30.b4 Nc4! the black d3-pawn is irrepressible.

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30...Bxb3 31.f4 Nc4 32.Nxb3 Rxb3 33.Ba2 d2 34.Rd1 Rxg3+ 35.Kf2 Ne3 36.Rxd2 gxf4

Black is two pawns up in a winning position. Further commentary is unnecessary.

37.Rd8+ Kg7 38.Bd5 Rxh3 39.Rd7 Ng4+ 40.Kg2 Rg3+ 41.Kf1 f3 42.Rxa7 Ne5 43.Be6
Kf6 44.Bd5 h5 45.Ra8 Kg5 46.Rf8 f6 47.Be6 Ng4 48.Rh8 Nh2+ 49.Kf2 Kf4 50.Rxh5
Rg2+ 51.Ke1 0–1

Miton,K (2443) - Izoria,Z (2450) [E08]
WJun Yerevan ARM (8), 26.09.2000

The Polish junior was leading in the beginning of the tournament, yielding the first position
to Bruzon at the finish. The second prize winner’s play is best of all characterized by the
following game against Georgia’s chess hope.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2

Kamil constantly implements the Catalan Opening as White, a rare phenomenon amongst
the young players.

4...Bb4+

The most consistent continuation for Black is 4...dxc4

5.Bd2 Be7 6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 c6 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.Bf4 b6 10.Rd1 Bb7 11.Nc3!

By an extremely precise move order, Kamil managed to put the white queen’s knight on c3,
not on d2, and White does not lose his c4-pawn!

11...Nh5

After 11...dxc4 White plays 12.Nd2

12.Bc1 f5

Otherwise White plays the e2-e4 thrust and obtains a serious advantage.

13.b3 Bd6

The Stonewall formation has arisen, which usually takes place in the Dutch Defense.

14.e3N

A novelty. White prevents f5-f4 radically, while preparing to transfer his c3-knight to f4.
White obtained a slight advantage after 14.a4 a5 (14...Qe7 15.a5!) 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3
Qe7 17.Raa1 Nhf6 (17...f4!?) 18.e3 Rac8 19.Ne2 c5 20.Nf4 dxc4 21.bxc4 cxd4 22.exd4
Nd5 23.Nxe6 Qxe6 24.cxd5 Bxd5 25.Qd3 Wojtkiewicz,A-Nikolac,J/Pula 1998/1–0 (46)

14...Qe7 15.Bb2 g5

Too hazardous. Suggesting itself is 15...Nhf6, then Nf6-e4.

16.Ne2! Qg7! 17.Nc1!

Three good positional moves in a row. The opponents fight for the e5-point.

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17...Nhf6?!

Imprecis. Black should attack the white f3-knight with the pawn, while he cannot move to
e5: 17...g4 18.Nd2 (or 18.Ne1) 18...Nhf6 19.Nd3 Ne4, and then Black can proceed with the
attack by h7-h5-h4.

18.Nd3 Ne4 19.Nfe5

White has won the struggle for the e5-point.

19...a5?

And this is a serious error, after which Black is in difficult situation. It is important for
Black to secure the e4-knight’s position. Black did not do it. Meanwhile, the text move
weakens the b6- and c5-points, which White uses immediately.

20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.c5! Bc7

In the case of 21...bxc5 White exerts extremely strong pressure along the big diagonal by:
22.dxc5 Bc7 23.f3 Nf6 24.Ne5 Qe7 25.Qc3! a4 26.Qd4! (clearing the c3-sqaure for the
bishop) (26.b4 a3!) 26...a3 27.Bc3

22.cxb6 Bxb6

If the black pawn stood on a7, then White’s operation would have became senseless, for
Black could capture on b6 with the pawn, covering the c5-square.

23.Rac1

More precise is the immediate 23.f3

23...Rfc8

Why protect the c6-pawn, when White does not threaten to capture it? Black already has no
time for prophylactics: 23...g4 24.Ne5 Qd6 25.Bxe4! (but not 25.Nxc6? Rfc8) 25...dxe4
(25...fxe4 26.Nxg4 +/-) 26.Nc4 Qc7 27.Qc3! , and the threat of d4-d5 is irrefutable. The
best possibility for Black is 23...Qd6, though Black is in a difficult situation after 24.Nc5!

24.f3 Nf6 25.Nc5 Bxc5

Black cannot tolerate the white c5-knight. After 25...Qe7, White plays 26.e4! all the same.

26.dxc5

The white b2-bishop obtains freedom of operation. White’s advantage is nearly decisive.

26...Rf8 27.e4!

Well done. Black perishes after the position is opened.

27...h6

This is also correct. Black must retain as many pawns on board as possible.

28.exf5 exf5 29.Re1 Nh5! 30.Qc3 Ng7

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Zviad resists very stubbornly. The g7-knight’s position is more reliable here than on f6.

31.Re5 Rae8 32.Rce1 Rxe5 33.Rxe5 a4 34.b4 Ba6 35.a3 Rf7 36.Bh3

In the light of the aforesaid, more consistent for White is 36.h4

36...Bb5

Black constructed a kind of fortress. In order to destroy it, White must either start active
operations on the K-side, or ... wait for Black to show some activity first!

37.Re1

The combination 37.Bxf5 Rxf5 38.Rxf5 fails due to 38...d4!

37...Kh7 38.Qe5 g4

It is very difficult, being 16 years old, just to stand and to do nothing. Especially when one
is in time trouble.

39.Bg2!

White loses almost all of his advantage after 39.fxg4 fxg4 40.Bg2 Qf5!

39...gxf3?!

Black should not let the white g2-bishop out of the cage. More reliable is 39...Qc7

40.Bxf3 Bd3 41.Qd6 Be4 42.Bd1!

It is clear by now that Black cannot transpose into the endgame, due to the loss of his a4-
pawn.

42...Qc8! 43.Bc1

Kamil tries to prevent the f5-f4 thrust, but does it wrongly, and the struggle sharpens. More
precise is 43.Rf1 , after which Black’s counterattack fails: 43...f4 (43...Ne6 44.Bh5!) 44.
Bxg7! Rxg7 (44...Kxg7 45.Rxf4 Rxf4 46.Qxf4) 45.Rxf4 Qh3 46.Rf2 h5 47.Qe5 h4 48.Qh5
+ Kg8 49.Bf3+-

43...f4!

Nevertheless!

44.Bxf4 Qh3 45.Rxe4!

This is necessary and sufficient at the same time to secure White’s advantage.

45...dxe4 46.Bc2

The white bishops are extremely powerful. Black’s Q-side is destroyed. However, Black
can create some direct threats for the white king, and it is all far from being clear.

46...Kg8 47.Bxe4

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Before 47...Rd7?

47...Rd7?

It all clears up after this move, a mistake by
Zviad. Black should play 47...Ne6!, with the
idea of giving perpetual check after 48.Qb8+
(or 48.Bg2 Qf5 49.h3 Nxf4 50.gxf4 Rg7 with
counterplay for Black) 48...Rf8 49.Qb7 Rxf4!
50.Qh7+ Kf8 51.gxf4 Qg4+

48.Qb8+ Kf7 49.Bd6!

The black rook is under arrest.

49...Ne8

49...Ne6 50.Bxc6 Qg4 51.h4!+-

50.Bxc6 Qh5 51.Qb5 Nxd6 52.Qf1+ Ke7 53.Bxd7

White is three pawns up. The game proceeded with:

53...Ne4

53...Kxd7 54.Qd3!

54.Bf5 Ng5 55.Kg2 Qf7 56.Qe2+ Kf8 57.Qf2 Kg7 58.Qd4+ Kg8 59.Qd8+ Kg7 60.Qd7 1–
0

See related articles:

●

GM Shipov's Game of the Week: Black is OK, and Maybe Better!