September 2006 Chess Life

Polgar’s Pick of the Month – September 2006

King’s Indian Defense
GM Ildar Ibragimov (2637) – GM R. Kempinski (2586)
37th Olympiad, Turin, Italy (4) 2006

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 0-0

It is believed by most theoreticians that it does not matter whether Black first plays 4. … d6 or 4. … 0-0. White does not gain an advantage after the ambitious looking 5. e5, as Bobby Fischer proved in the following nice miniature: 5. … Ne8 6. f4 d6 7. Be3 c5 8. dxc5 Nc6 9. cxd6 exd6 10. Ne4 Bf5 11. Ng3 Be6 12. Nf3 Qc7 13. Qb1 dxe5 14. f5 e4 15. fxe6 exf3 16. gxf3 f5 17. f4 Nf6 18. Be2 Rfe8 19. Kf2 Rxe6 20. Re1 Rae8 21. Bf3 Rxe3 22. Rxe3 Rxe3 23. Kxe3 Qxf4+! 0-1 (Letelier – Fischer, Leipzig Olympiad, 1960).

5. Bg5 Here is one of the differences related to Black’s move order. Now, Black does not have the option as after 4. … d6 5. Bg5, to play 5. … h6 6. Be3 and then 6. … Ng4, as the knight would be unprotected on g4.

5. … d6 6. Qd2 This is a relatively rare setup against the King’s Indian Defense.

6. … c5 As usual for most variations of the King’s Indian Defense, Black can choose from several main plans such as: a) … e7-e5; b) … c7-c5; c) … c6, … a6, or … b5; and d) … Nc6, followed by either … e7-e5 or … a7-a6, … Rb8, or … b7-b5. In this case, Black went for a Benonistyle setup. Black could have fallen into a known trap with 6. … e5? as after 7. dxe5 dxe5 8. Qxd8 Rxd8 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 as White wins a pawn with 10. Nd5, forking Black’s bishop and c7-pawn. The Ibragimov—Matikozian game from the 2004 U.S. Open continued with 6. … Nbd7 7. Bd3 c6 8. Nf3 a6 9. 0-0 b5 10. a3 Bb7 11. Rfe1 e5 12. d5 when White had a small but steady advantage.

7. d5 This is the best approach. If White decides to keep the tension in the center with 7. Nf3 after the trade 7. … cxd4 8. Nxd4 Black reaches a favorable edition of the “Maroczy bind.” With 7. d5, White gained a central space advantage.

7. … Qa5 A more common and perhaps better choice would be 7. … e6, opening the position right away. In the following famous game, Black came out ahead after 8. Bd3 exd5 9. Nxd5 Be6 10. Ne2 Bxd5 11. exd5 Nbd7 12. 0-0 Ne5 13. f4 Nxd3 14. Qxd3 h6 15. Bh4 Re8 16. Rae1 Qb6 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. f5 g5 19. b3 Qa5 20. Rc1 Qxa2 21. Rc2 Re3 22. Qxe3 Qxc2 23. Kh1 a5 24. h4 a4 0-1 (Szabo – Fischer, 1960 Leipzig Olympiad). Ildar played differently with 11. cxd5 but Black had a decent game after 11. … Nbd7 12. Nc3 a6 13. a4 Qa5 14. 0-0 Qb4 15. a5 b5 16. axb6 Nxb6. In fact White lost quickly after 17. Qc2 c4 18. Be2 Nfd7 19. Bd2 Rfe8 20. Rfb1 Nc5 21. Ra3 Nb3 22. Be1 Qc5 23. Qd1 Qd4 24. Qc2 Qc5 25. Na4 Nd4 26. Qd1 Nxa4 27. Rxa4 c3 28. Rc1 Nxe2+ 29. Qxe2 cxb2 30. Rb1 Qc1 31. Qd3 Rac8 0-1 (Ibragimov – Stanec, Graz, 1996).

8. Bd3 White continues with simple developing moves.

8. … a6 Black cannot yet play “Benko Gambit style” with an immediate 8. … b5, as White has 9. Nxb5 since the e4-pawn is protected by the bishop.

9. Nf3 White did not get any advantage after 9. Rc1 b5 10. b3 (White could not win a pawn with 10. cxb5 axb5 11. Bxb5 because of the typical 11. … Nxe4! “petite combination” 12. Nxe4 Qxb5 13. Bxe7? Re8) 10. … e6 11. Nge2 exd5 12. exd5 Nbd7 13. f4 Nb6 14. 0-0 Bg4 15. Ng3 bxc4 16. bxc4 Na4 (Milov – Kempinski, Geneva, 2005)

9. … b5 Finally, Black gets to play b7-b5! But, White can simply ignore it!

10. 0-0 The answer to 10. cxb5 axb5 11. Nxb5 the is 11. … Nxe4!

10. … bxc4 Black needs to open the b-file to generate counter play. Closing the queenside with 10. … b4 would only make White’s life easier.

11. Bxc4 Nbd7 12. Rfe1 White’s plan is to prepare a breakthrough with e4-e5.

12. … Re8 Black protects the e7-pawn to free the f6-knight for better things.

13. h3 An important move, preventing Nf6-g4.

13. … Rb8 Black occupies the half-open b-file. Most of the Black pieces are well positioned. The exception is the c8-bishop —it is difficult to find a good square for this piece. This is a serious problem! White has completed development, has a space advantage, and a clearly more comfortable position.

14. Rac1 A useful preventive move: the rook gets off of the dark-squared bishop’s diagonal and supports the knight on c3.

14. … Nb6 15. Bf1 So as to get out of the way of White’s heavy pieces on the c, d, and e files.

15. … Nfd7 Otherwise, an unpleasant e4-e5 was coming. If 15. … c4, then the White’s knight gets access to the weakened c6 square via 16. Nd4.

16. b3 Preventing any possibility of counterplay with Nb6-a4 or c5-c4 and Nd7-c5-d3. 16. … Ne5 Perhaps 16. … Qb4 with the idea of a6-a5-a4 was worth a try.

17. Nxe5 Bxe5 18. Bf4 Now Black has to trade, as after 18. … Bg7, 19. e5 comes.

18. … Bxf4 19. Qxf4 Nd7 Black is trying to hold off e4-e5 as long as he can.

20. Qe3 Preparing f2-f4 which will help the eventual e4-e5 push.

20. … Rb4 21. f4 f6 The fight is still around the e5-square. This is an important square in this game.

22. Na4 Now that Black has played … f7-f6 and weakened the kingside light squares, White is looking to position his bishop on c4 where it can come in handy once the position opens up (following e4-e5). White’s last move is aimed at preventing Nd7-b6, which would have been Black’s answer after an immediate 22. Bc4.

22. … Rd4 If 22. … Nb6, then 23. Nxb6 Rxb6 and 24. e5 with a clear advantage for White.

23. Rc4 Trading off the unexpected “intruder.”

23. … Rxc4 After 23. … Qd2, Black loses a pawn after

24. Rxd4 Qxd4 25. Qxd4 cxd4 26. Rd1. 24. Bxc4 Bb7 25. Re2 Kg7 26. h4! This is a very good idea. White needs to open a second front to attack Black’s kingside as the e4-e5 push is temporarily off the agenda.

26. … Rf8 27. h5 This is a typical pawn sacrifice, though it is too dangerous to accept it as after 27. … gxh5 Black’s king becomes too vulnerable.

27. … Bc8 28. Qg3 Now we can see the delicate positioning of the white rook on e2, protecting the possible penetration squares of Black’s queen.

28. … Qb4 29. Qh4 Qa3 Black does not give up. He is still trying to get in through c1.

30. h6+ Kh8 31. Qe1! Preventing Qc1+.

31. … Kg8 The last mistake. Black’s best try was 31. … Qb4 and if 32. Qxb4 cxb4 33. Rc2 then 33. … g5. Of course, White is not forced to trade queens.

32. e5 Now it is action time! White finally succeeded with his plans for the e5-square.

32. … fxe5 If Black does not take the e5-pawn, then White will open the e-file with exd6 and then invade the seventh rank with Re7.

33. fxe5 Nxe5 And now what? Can you find the beautiful continuation?

34. Rxe5! A nice Exchange sacrifice! White had all of this planned out.

34. … dxe5 35. d6+ Discovered check!

35. … e6 36. Nb6! But not 36. Qxe5? when everything would turn around after 36. … Qc1+ and Black is winning. It is very important to continue precisely, as one error can turn the game around from winning to losing.

36. … Qb2 Black is helpless against the threat of the fork: 37. Nxc8 Rxc8 38. Bxe6+.

37. Nxc8 Qd4+ 38. Kh1 The rest is easy.

38. … Kf7 39. Bxa6 Qf4 40. d7 Rd8 41. Bb5 e4 42. Qxe4 Qxh6+ 43. Kg1 Qc1+ 44. Kh2 Qd2 The checks would end quickly after 44. … Qh6+ 45. Kg3 Qg5+ 46. Qg4 Qe3+ 47. Qf3+.

45. Qe5, Black resigned. Even more precise was 45. Qh4.

Most of this game was centered around the critical e5-square. White wanted to play e4-e5 and Black wanted to prevent it. Finally, thanks to a discovery in the air, White succeeded in playing the e4-e5 push, connecting with a stylish Exchange sacrifice. Once White succeeded with the e5 breakthrough, Black’s position fell apart. As you can see, sometimes a game of chess can revolve around just one single square.

The rest of September 2006 Chess Life can be viewed online here.