LiveChess – Round 3

GM Suat Atalik annotates his Round 3 Aivars Gipslis Memorial 2018 match v Michael Ostapenko.

[Event "Aivars Gipslis Memorial"]  [Site "Brisbane"]  [Date "2018.05.05"]  [Round "3"]  [White "Atalik, Suat"]  [Black "Ostapenko, Michael"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "D17"]  [WhiteElo "2507"]  [BlackElo "1922"]  [Annotator "Atalik"]  [PlyCount "87"]  [EventDate "2018.05.04"]  [EventType "swiss"]  [EventRounds "7"]  [EventCountry "AUS"]   1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8.Bg5 $5 ({I did not want to play} 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 {a heavily analysed line.}) 8... Ne4 (8... e5 {is the appropriate reaction} 9. e3 ({since} 9. Bxf6 $6 gxf6 {strenghtens the center.}) 9... Be7 10. Bh4 (10. Be2 O-O) (10. Bd3 Be6 $1) 10...Be6 11. Bg3 Bxc4 12. Bxc4 {Slightly better for White.}) 9. Nxe4 (9. Qd3 {is my original intention but it runs into.} h6 $1 (9... Nxg5  10. Qxf5 Ne6 11. e3 g6 12. Qh3 $5 Bg7 13. f4 {may be annoying.})) 9... Bxe4 10. f3 Bg6 11. e4 e6 $5 $146 {A timid approach.} (11... e5 $1 12. Be2 $13 {provides a regular game with chances for both sides.} (12. d5 $6 cxd5 13. Qxd5 f6)) 12. Qd2 $6 (12. a5 $142) 12... Nb6 $6 (12... a5 $142 13. Qf4 (13. Bf4 $2 e5 14. Nxe5 Bb4 15. Qxb4 axb4 16. Nxg6 Qb6 17. Nxh8 Qxd4 18. Rd1 Qf6 $1 {  is totally unnecessary.} (18... Qxb2 19. Nxf7)) 13... Bb4+ 14. Kf2 e5 $1 15.dxe5 O-O 16. e6 $1 Qxf4 17. Bxf4 fxe6 18. Kg3 $13 {is an interesting ending.})  13. Qa5 $1 h6 (13... Rc8 {is to be expected.} 14. Kf2 $1 (14. Qxa7 Nxc4 15.Bxc4 Bb4+ 16. Kf2 O-O 17. a5 c5 $132 {with counterplay.})) 14. Be3 Qd8 15. Ne5 {White takes control of the center and the game after some shy moves by his opponent.} Bh7 16. Be2 Nd7 $2 {Black should have kept the Queens!} (16... f6 17. Nd3 (17. Nc4 Nxc4 18. Qxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bxc4) 17... Nc4 18. Qxd8+ Rxd8 19. Bf2 Na5 20. Rd1 (20. Nc5 Bxc5 21. dxc5 e5) 20... Nb3 21. Nc5 Nxc5 22. dxc5 {White is slightly better.}) 17. Qxd8+ Rxd8 18. Kf2 (18. a5 $142) 18... f6 (  18... f5 $5 19. Bc4) 19. Nc4 $5 ({Of course} 19. Nd3 Bd6 20. b4 {is the most natural continuation.}) 19... Bb4 20. a5 Ke7 $2 {Jeopardizing the Bishop since the diagonal is too short.} (20... Nb8 {Black is worse but the game continues.}) 21. Ra4 c5 (21... Bd6 22. Nxd6 Kxd6 {may not be the worst of evils.}) 22. Rxb4 $5 {Human mind works in a strange way.The sacrifice is good} ({but there is even a better move which I have seen during the game.} 22. Rd1 $1 cxd4 (22... g5 23. dxc5 Bxc5 24. Rxd7+ $1 {is White's threat.}) (22... Rc8 23. Nd6 Rc7 24. Nb5) 23. Rxd4 Bc5 24. Rxd7+ {wins.}) 22... cxb4 23. Bd2 {now with all of his pieces jammed, Black's King is not safe either.} Nb8 24. Bxb4+ Kf7 $6 {Wrong direction!} (24... Kd7 25. Bc5 $1 (25. Nd6 $2 Nc6 26. Bb5 Kc7 27. Bxc6 bxc6 28. Nf7 Rb8 $1 {spoils White's plans.}) 25... Nc6 26. b4 Kc7 (26... a6 27. Rd1) 27. Rd1 {with an overwhelming position for White.}) 25. Nd6+ Rxd6 $5 (25... Kg6 {attracts the King into a mating net.} 26. h4 h5 (26... Bg8 27. h5+ Kh7 28. e5) 27. e5 {with a mating attack.}) 26. Bxd6 Nc6 27. Rc1 $1 {In such positions the side with the advantage should act quick.} Rd8 (27... Nxd4 28. Rc7+ Kg6 29. Bd3 e5 30. f4 $1 {with a strong attack.}) 28. a6 $1 Rxd6 29. axb7 Rd7 (29... Nb8 30. Rc8 {wins.}) 30. Rxc6 Rxb7 31. Bc4 Rxb2+ 32. Ke3 $1 {Centralisation for the King is essential in endings.} Rb6 (32... Rxg2 33. Bxe6+ Ke7 34. d5) 33. Bxe6+ Ke7 34. Rxb6 $1 {Bishop ending is easily won not only  because of the minimal material advantage but mainly due to central pawns.} (34. Rc7+ Kxe6 35. Rxg7 Bxe4 36. fxe4 {is an unnecessary finesse leading to Tartakower's famous quote:'All Rook Endings are drawn!.'}) 34... axb6 35. d5 Bg6 (35... g5 36. g3 Kd6 37. Kd4) 36. Kd4 Be8 37. f4 Ba4 38. Bg4 $5 Bc2 (38...b5 39. Kc5) 39. Be2 $5 Bb1 40. Bd3 Ba2 41. e5 fxe5+ 42. fxe5 Kd7 43. Bb5+ Ke7 44. d6+ (44. d6+ Ke6 {Black can not block the pawns.} 45. Bc4+) 1-0

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Round 3

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