ODT100810

= **Ponomariov wins Dortmund** =



**Problem:** Black to play and mate in 3.

Ukrainian Ruslan Ponomariov first burst into prominence by winning the FIDE World Championship knockout tournament (now known as the World Cup) in 2002 as an 18 year old. But after failing in negotiations to secure a World Championship reunification match with Garry Kasparov, his career stalled. Subsequently he has not fulfilled his early promise, though has maintained a ranking just below the very elite players. Ponomariov may have signalled that he is ready for greater things again by convincingly winning the elite Sparkassen event in Dortmund, Germany last month, ahead of former world champion Vladimir Kramnik. The final scores were 1 Ponomariov 6½, 2 Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) 5½, 3-4 Kramnik (Russia) & Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 5, 5-6 Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany) & Peter Leko (Hungary) 4.

Today's game is Ponomariov's stunning win with the white pieces over top seeded Kramnik from the second round at Dortmund. media type="custom" key="26206660" **1.d4 Nf6** **2.c4 e6** **3.g3 Bb4+** **4.Bd2 Be7** Placing the opening firmly under the category of Catalan, in which Kramnik is a feared adversary – on the White side. **5.Bg2 d5** **6.Nf3 O-O** **7.O-O c6** **8.Qc2 b6** **9.Rd1 Ba6** **10.Ne5 Qc8** Allowing the b8 knight to challenge White's outpost on e5 rather than the immediate 10... Nfd7, but resulting in a temporary time loss and lack of piece co-ordination. **11.Nc3 Nbd7** **12.Rac1 Nxe5** **13.dxe5 Nd7** **14.cxd5 cxd5** **15.Bf4! g5** It looks like the e5 pawn is lost, but the bishop does not retreat... undoubtedly the result of home preparation. **16.Bxd5!! exd5** **17.Nxd5 Qd8** The best but difficult to find choice was 17...Bd8! 18 Qd2 Qb8 19 e6 gxf4 20 e7 Qe5! 21 exf8=Q+ Nxf8 22 Nxf4 leaving White with a small plus. **18.Nc7 Rc8** If 18...gxf4 then 19 Qf5 Bc8 20 Nxa8 favours White, but not 19 Nxa6? (threatening 20 Qf5) 19... fxg3! 20 hxg3 Bg5 21 f4 Bxf4! 22 gxf4 Qh4 23 Qf5 (23 Rxd7? Qg4+) Kh8! 24 Rxd7 Rg8+ 25 Kf1 Qh1+ 26 Kf2 Qxc1 27 Qf6+ Rg7 and White must take the draw after 28 Rd8+ etc. White now breaks open the weakened black king position forcing Black to jettison his extra material. **19.e6! fxe6** **20.Qc6 Qe8** **21.Qxe6+ Qf7** **22.Qxf7+ Kxf7** **23.Nxa6 gxf4** **24.Rxc8 Rxc8** **25.Rxd7 ---** Emerging with two extra pawns. Black tries to complicate, but the win is in hand. **25.--- Rc2** **26.Nb4! Rxb2** **27.Nc6 Rxe2** **28.Rxa7 f3** **29.h4 h5** Hoping to contain the White king, but liquidation to a pawn ending foils this idea. **30.Rxe7+ Rxe7** **31.Nxe7 Kxe7** **32.g4! hxg4** **33.Kh2 Ke6** **34.Kg3 Kf5** **35.a4! ---** Zugzwang – Black must release the White king after which the win is trivial. **36.--- Ke4** **36.Kxg4 Resigns**

**1-0**

**Solution:** 1 ... Bxb2+! 2 Kxb2 Qc2+ 3 Ka1 (3 Ka3 Qxa2#) 3... b2#.