Zhao Xue (2508) – Marie Sebag (2529)
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, Istanbul 18.03.2009 [D43]
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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4

Until recently it was considered unsound to give up the c4-pawn in this particular way. Most used to play the Moscow variation, 6.Bxf6, which leads to much more solid positions and a minimal plus for White if any.

6…dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.Ne5

Another interesting choice is 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 and now in Topalov – Kramnik, Corus 2008 White introduced the shocking sacrifice 12.Nxf7!? Kxf7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4.

10…h5

This move threatens to trap White’s bishop by h5-h4 and prevents the sometimes unpleasant ideas of Be2-h5.

11.h4

This is clearly White’s most energetic and best response.

11…g4

Let’s look at this position for a moment. While it is a highly popular variation, we have to recognize that it is unusual in many ways. Black greedily grabbed a pawn while ignoring the basic opening principles: to develop your pieces, to safeguard your king, and out of the first eleven moves of the game, Black only made two moves with pieces. This breaks all the rules! Nevertheless, for the time being White has not been able to show a clear way to advantage, even though many of the world top players have tried to prove it.

12.0–0 Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5

Black could also play 13…Bg7, as in Beliavsky – Zhao Xue, Gibraltar Masters 2008, which continued 14.Rad1 Nxe5 After 15.Bxe5 0–0 16.f3 (Black did also well after 16.Bg3 Nd7 17.f3 c5! 18.dxc5 Qe7 19.Kh1 a6 20.a4 Bc6 in the Aronian – Anand, Mexico City 2007) 16…Nh7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.g3 (18.fxg4 Qxh4 19.gxh5 Ng5 20.Qd2 Nh3+ leads to a well known draw by perpetual check.) 18…Qb6 19.Kh2 Rad8 20.fxg4 hxg4 21. Bxg4 Rxd4 22.Bh5 e5 when Black had a good game and later won.

14.Bxe5 Bg7

The strange-looking 14…Bh6 was played in Mohammad – Karjakin, Al Ain 2008. After 15.Rad1 0–0, White erred with 16.f4? and Black achieved a winning position by 16…Ne8.

15.Bg3

15.Rad1 here would have transposed to Zhao – Beliavsky. Obviously Zhao was not happy with the outcome of that game and therefore chose to sacrifice the d4-pawn. In Krush – Sebag, Dresden Olympiad, White played 15.b3 and Black had no problems after 15…cxb3 16.axb3 0–0 17. Bg3!? c5 18.e5 Nd5 19.Nxb5 cxd4, eventually winning a long and complex game.

15…Qxd4

If Black does not accept the second pawn and plays 15…0–0, White usually continues with 16.e5, followed by Ne4 and Rad1, with good compensation.

16.Rad1

Perhaps it was better to play 16.Rfd1 and leave the other rook on a1 in order to play a2-a4 at the right moment.

16…Qc5

Another option would be 16…Qb6, as in Wu Shaobin – Al Sayed, Doha 2003.

17.Bd6

According to my database this move is a novelty, although the same has been played with the other rook on d1. In Wendt – Van Wely, Minneapolis, 2005, Black had a cramped position, but managed to consolidate the position after 17.e5 Nd5 18.Ne4 Qb6 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20. Kh1 Kg8 21.Qe4 Rf8 22.f3 Ba8 23.fxg4 Qe3 24.Rf3 Qxe4 25.Nxe4 hxg4 26.Ra3 b4 27.Rxa7 Ne3.

17…Qb6 18.b3

This is a typical idea in this variation.

18…cxb3 19.axb3

Black is still up a pawn, but the main challenge is to solve the problem of the safety of Black’s king and to activate the bishop on b7.

19…a6

As typical for the Meran Slav, Black is trying to prepare the liberation of the bishop on b7 by protecting the b5-pawn in order to play c6-c5.

20.Qd2 Nd7

20…c5 would be an error because of 21.Qg5.

21.b4

Now 21.Qg5 would be answered by 21…Bf6.

21…Rd8 22.e5 Bh6!

It would be too risky to capture the pawn by 22…Nxe5 as White would dominate after 23.Qg5 Ng6 24.Ne4.

23.Qc2 c5

Finally Black manages to play c6-c5 to activate the light-squared bishop.

24.bxc5 Nxc5?

More accurate would have been 24…Qc6! 25.f3 Be3+ with a clear advantage for Black.

25.Nxb5! axb5 26.Qxc5

I prefer 26.Bxc5 Qc6 27.Rxd8+ Kxd8 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Bf1 when the black king’s position would remain rather delicate.

26…Qxc5 27.Bxc5 Bc6 28.Ra1

Better was 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.f3 gxf3 30.Bxf3 Bxf3 31.Rxf3.

28…Rd5

Now White’s position is falling apart.

29.Bd6 Bf8 30.Rfc1 Bxd6 31.exd6

If 31.Rxc6 Bxe5.

31…Kd7 32.Ra7+ Kxd6 33.Rxf7 Ra8

Black in addition to her extra pawn also has well-positioned pieces. Therefore, victory is only a matter of technique.

34.Rb1 Ra2 35.Bf1 Rad2 36.Ra7 Rd1 37.Raa1 Rxb1 38.Rxb1 Kc5 39. Rc1+ Kb6 40.Kh2 Rc5 41.Rb1 Rc2 42.Kg3 e5 43.Re1 Rc3+ 44.f3

This hastens the end, but White’s position is also hopeless after 44.Kh2 e4.

44…gxf3 45.gxf3 Rxf3+

The rest of the game was perfunctory.

46.Kh2 Rf4 47.Bxb5 Bxb5 48.Rxe5 Rxh4+ 49.Kg3 Rh1 50.Re6+ Bc6 51.Rh6 Kc5 52.Kf4 Rf1+ 53.Kg3 Rf5 54.Kh4 Bf3 55.Re6 Kd4 56.Kg3 Bd5 57.Re7 Re5 58.Rg7 Ke3 59.Ra7 Re4 60.Rh7 Rg4+ 61.Kh3 Rg1 62. Kh2 Kf2 63.Rf7+ Bxf7 0–1

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