ODT140624

=**Karjakin repeats Norwegian success**=




 * Problem:** Black to play and mate.

The second Norway Chess tournament was held in the seaside town of Stavanger earlier this month. As in the first edition, the ten-player event was extremely strong, with the top four ranked players in the world competing and the only participant outside the world top 20 being Norwegian veteran GM Simen Agdestein. Naturally favourite was World Champion Magnus Carlsen playing in his home country. Despite winning the pre-tournament blitz event, Carlsen was unable to get going. The event was extremely close, with only a point separating first and last place until the penultimate round. It was last year's winner Sergey Karjakin of Russia, who in a finishing streak of three wins broke the pattern and assumed sole lead going into the final round, half a point ahead of Carlsen and early leader Fabiano Caruana of Italy. Today's game is Karjakin's final round win with the black pieces over Caruana that sealed first place. It demonstrates the resilience he showed throughout to win games from poor positions. Another example is today's puzzle, taken from the Giri-Karjarkin marathon of 131 moves in round 7. media type="custom" key="26225902" **1.Nf3 Nf6** **2.c4 c5** **3.Nc3 Nc6** **4.g3 d5** **5.cxd5 Nxd5** **6.Bg2 Nc7** **7.a3 g6** **8.h4 h6** The Symmetrical English Opening – Four Knights variation has a quiet reputation, but the players have to stay alert. Here 8... Bg7?! 9. h5 give White an attack down the h-file, so Black prepares ...g6-g5 to keep the file closed. The slight weakening of the kingside makes Black reluctant to castle early. **9.d3 Bg7** **10.O-O Bd7** **11.Be3 Ne6** **12.Rb1** Preparing the thematic b2-b4 thrust that commonly forms White's plan in this opening. **12... Rc8** **13.Ne4 b6** **14.b4 cxb4** **15.axb4 Ncd4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**16.Bxd4! Nxd4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**17.Nxd4 Bxd4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**18.e3 Bg7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19.b5!** The exchange of pieces followed by this pawn wedge freezes the Black pawn majority on the queenside, more than making up for Black's two bishops. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**19... O-O** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**20.d4 Rc7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21.f4!** Cementing in the dark-squared bishop, though a drawback is the weakening of his pawn structure. White establishes a bind with the intention of gradually overwhelming Black on the queenside. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**21... Qc8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**22.Rb2 Rd8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**23.Kh2 Be6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**24.Rff2 Bf5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**25.Rbc2 a5!** Establishing a passed pawn on the queenside at the cost of weakening b6. The exchange 26. bxa6?! Rxc2 27. Rxc2 Qxa6 would let Black off the hook. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**26.Qc1 Rxc2** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**27.Rxc2 Qb8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**28.Rc6 Bd7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**29.Nc3! e6!** Acceptance of the exchange sacrifice would lose after 29... Bxc6? 30. bxc6 and the threat of advancing the pawn forces the immediate return sacrifice 30... Rc8 31. Nb5 Rc7. But White simply builds a pawn avalanche 32. Qc4! Bf6 (32... e6 33. d5! exd5 34. Bxd5 is worse) 33. d5 Qd8 34. e4 etc. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**30.Rc4 Bf8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**31.Bc6 Qd6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**32.Na4?** White throws away the advantage by misplacing the knight. Instead 32.e4! Bg7 33. e5 Qe7 34. Ne4 penetrating with the knight into d6 would keep White on top. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**32... Bxc6!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**33.Rxc6** The otherwise desirable 33. bxc6? runs into 33... b5! 34. c7 bxc4 35. cxd8=Q Qxd8 36. Qxc4 Qa8 and Black's passed a-pawn gives him the advantage much as in the game. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**33... Qb4!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**34.Nc3** Neither 34. Nxb6 Qxb5 with a passed a-pawn, nor 34.Qc4? Qd2+ winning the e-pawn weakened by 21 f4 save White. The text leaves the White pieces awkwardly placed on the c-file, allowing the a-pawn to suddenly become a monster! <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**34... a4!** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**35.Qc2 a3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**36.Rxb6 Rc8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**37.Rc6 Rxc6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**38.bxc6 Qc4** Maintaining the pin on the knight and regaining the c-pawn. The ending is now winning for Black. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**39.c7 Qxc7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**40.Qb3 Qa5** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**41.Qc2 Qb4** Threatening 42... Qb2. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**42.Na4 Qe1** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**43.Nc5!?** Trying for complications, which Black accurately defends. If 43. e4 Qe3 44. d5 exd5 45. exd5 Qd4 46. Nc3 Qc4 and the threat of 47... Bb4 wins. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**44... Qxe3** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**44.Nd7 Qxd4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**45.Qc8 Qb4** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**46.Nf6+ Kg7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**47.Ne8+ Kh8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**48.Qc7 Qe7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**49.Qe5+ f6** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**50.Nxf6 Bg7** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**51.Qb8+ Qf8** <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**White resigns**

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman,serif;">**0-1**


 * Solution:** 131... Bc3! cutting off the rook from the defence. White resigned as mate in a few moves by 132... Qe4+ etc. can only be delayed by sacrificing all his pieces.