Game of the week

Here is a past game from GM Lahno, the reigning Women’s World Blitz Championship, and one of the participants in this event.

K. Lahno (2479) – K. Nemcova (2344)

Plovdiv, Bulgaria (4),
04.24.2008 [C63]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 The Schliemann/Jaenisch Gambit has regained its popularity in recent years thanks to top GMs Radjabov and Zvjaginsev.

4.Nc3 In the recent game Topalov – Radjabov, Morelia/Linares 2008, White got a small advantage after 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0 Bc5 7.Qd3 d6 8.Qc4 Qe7 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Nd4 12.Bxd7+ Qxd7 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.a4 a6 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.fxe3 0-0-0 17.Rf2 Rdf8 18.Raf1 Rxf2 19. Rxf2, but Black should be able to hold this queen and rook endgame.

4...fxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 This is the newest fashion. After 5...d5, White is better in the old main line after 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qg5 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.f4 Qxf4 10.d4.

6.Qe2 d5 7.Nxf6+ Forcing Black to recapture with the g-pawn in order to protect the pawn on e5.

7...gxf6 8.d4 It is important for White to play energetically and to undermine Black’s strong pawn center.

8...Bg7 9.dxe5 0-0 After 9...fxe5 10.Nxe5 0-0, Black did not get enough compensation for the sacrificed pawns after 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12. Nxc6 Qd7 13.Ne7+ Kh8 14.0-0 Bb7 15. Bg5 in Mikhalchishin – Annageldyev, Uzhgorod 1988.

10.Bxc6 In the game J. Polgar – Radjabov, Wijk aan Zee, 2008, Black solved all his opening problems after 10.e6 Ne5 11.0–0 Bxe6 12.Nd4 Bg4 13.f3 Bc8 14. f4 c6 and the game ended in a draw after: 15.fxe5 fxe5 16.Rxf8+ Qxf8 17. Bd3 e4 18.Bxe4 Bxd4+ 19.Be3 Bxe3+ 20.Qxe3 dxe4 21.Qg5+ Qg7 22. Qd8+ Qf8 23.Qg5+ Qg7 –

10...bxc6 11.e6 Upon 11.exf6 Qxf6 12.0–0 Bg4, Black wins the pawn back by pinning White’s knight and will have an excellent position.

11...Re8 Black will win the pawn back, but White hopes for an advantage based on the difference in the pawn structure.

12.0-0 c5 Black wants to make sure that White will not block the advance of the cpawn on c5. In Shirov – Radjabov, Odessa, 2007, after 12...Rxe6 13.Be3 Re8 14.Qd3 Bg4, White had the option to gain the advantage by 15.Bc5.

13.Bf4 White often tries to play aggressively by 13.Qb5, but, after 13...Bf8, it is unclear if the white queen is well positioned on the queenside.

13...Rb8 14.b3 Another reasonable option was 14.c3.

14...Rb6 15.Qd2 With the idea of a double attack on Black’s a7- and c5-pawns by Qd2-a5.

15...Bf8 Defending against the above threat by protecting the c5-pawn. If 15... Rbxe6 16.Qa5.

16.Rad1 Bxe6 Now Black’s rook looks useless on b6.

17.Rfe1 White is playing logical, commonsense chess by centralizing all her pieces.

17...c6 18.Bh6 It is a good idea to try to trade dark squared bishops.

18...Bd6 Black’s only hope for counter play to keep the bishop-pair.

19.c4! Another strong move!

19...Bf7 Removing the potential exchange sacrifice Rxe6. This is where Black lost the thread of the game, although White had a nice advantage in any case.

20.Nh4 Immediately takes advantage of Black’s last move, which weakened the f5-square.

20...Rxe1+ 20...Qd7 would not stop the white knight entering on f5, as after 21.Rxe8+, Black would be forced to recapture with the queen, because the bishop is busy guarding the d5-pawn. Or 20...Be6 21.cxd5 cxd5 22.Rxe6! Rxe6 23.Qxd5 Qe8 24.Nf5 is also very good for White.

21.Rxe1 Qd7 22.Qc3 Black’s position is hopeless now.

22...Qd8 If 22...Be5, White wins by 23.Rxe5! fxe5 24.Qg3+ Bg6 25.Nxg6 hxg6 26. Qxg6+ Kh8 27.Bg5 Qg7 28.Bf6. Other tries such as 22...d4 23.Qf3 or 22... Be7 23.Qg3+ would not help either.

23.Qf3 Threatening Qg4+.

23...Kh8 24.Qg4 24.Bg5 fxg5 25.Qxf7 Rb8 26.Nf5 was also strong.

24...Bf8 24...Qg8 is answered by 25.Qd7.

25.Bxf8 Qxf8 26.Qf4 Bg8 27.Re8! A nice deflection combination!

27...Qf7 The game ends immediately after 27... Qxe8 28.Qxf6#.

28.Qd6 Rb7 29.Nf5 Threatening 30.Rxg8+!.

29...Qg6 30.Qe6 Rf7 31.Rxg8+! Qxg8 32.Nh6 Qg6 33.Qc8+ 1–0