ODT090519

=**Aronian moves into Grand Prix contention**=




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

Levon Aronian of Armenia won the fourth FIDE Grand Prix tournament in Nalchik, Russia, and thereby moves into third place in the overall standings. The Grand Prix series has suffered some major setbacks such as cancelled events, having it's status as a world championship qualfier downgraded, and one of the favourites, Magnus Carlsen, withdrawing. But it is surviving the economic downturn and continuing to produce exciting chess.

In today's game Aronian is playing White against co-leader, Hungary's Peter Leko, in the final round at Nalchik. media type="custom" key="26426580" Exchanging this bishop for the knight is a common feature of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. Black gets piece activity and pressure against White's hanging pawns, but the White bishops can become a potent attacking force. The queen swap would improve White's pawn structure. White's reply shows great patience: absorbing Black's initiative until the two bishops finally assert themselves. By denying the black knights any squares, White has ensured Black's kingside threats have petered out. Despite the central knight outpost on d5 we see how the bishops' superior mobility means White assumes the initiative. A superb positional sacrifice – forcing a breach in the defensive pawn formation and creating two central passed pawns. The knight must abandon d5 or e.g. 38 ... Rbc8? 39 Qe5 Nf6 40 Rxf6! gxf6 41 Qxf6+ Kh7 42 Qe7+ Kh8 43 Bf4 forces mate. Perhaps not to allow the desperate 42 Bf4 Rxe6 43 Bxe6 Nh5!? 44 Bxc8 Nxf4+ 45 Kh2 Nh5 which comes to nothing after 46 Qb8. But White's pawns are unstoppable. Deflecting the queen from b8. A final flourish: 54 ... Qxg8 55 Bxg8+ Kxg8 56 d7 and White gets a new queen.
 * 1. d4 Nf6**
 * 2. c4 e6**
 * 3. Nc3 Bb4**
 * 4. e3 O-O**
 * 5. Bd3 d5**
 * 6. Nf3 c5**
 * 7. O-O dxc4**
 * 8. Bxc4 Nbd7**
 * 9. Qe2 b6**
 * 10. Rd1 cxd4**
 * 11. exd4 Bxc3**
 * 12. bxc3 Bb7**
 * 13. Bb3 Qc7**
 * 14. c4 Rfe8**
 * 15. Bb2 Qf4**
 * 16. Qe3 Qf5**
 * 17. Ne1! b5**
 * 18. c5 Nd5**
 * 19. Qg3 Nf4**
 * 20. Rd2 Nf6**
 * 21. f3 N6h5**
 * 22. Qf2 Bd5**
 * 23. Bc2 Qg5**
 * 24. Kh1 Bc4**
 * 25. g3! Ng6**
 * 26. Ng2 Bd5**
 * 27. Ne3 Nf6**
 * 28. h4 Qh5**
 * 29. Nxd5 Nxd5**
 * 30. Re1 Red8**
 * 31. Rde2 Rab8**
 * 32. Bc1 h6**
 * 33. Kg2 Nc3**
 * 34. Re5!! ---**
 * 34. --- Nxe5**
 * 35. Rxe5 f5**
 * 36. Bb3 Nd5**
 * 37. Rxe6 Kh8**
 * 38. Qe1 Nf6**
 * 39. Qe5 Re8**
 * 40. c6 Rbc8**
 * 41. Qxb5 Qg6**
 * 42. h5?! ---**
 * 42. --- Qxh5**
 * 43. Bf4 a6**
 * 44. Qxa6 Nh7**
 * 45. c7 Ng5**
 * 46. Rxe8+ Qxe8**
 * 47. d5 Ra8**
 * 48. Qc4 Kh7**
 * 49. d6 Qe1**
 * 50. Qf1 Qe8**
 * 51. Qd3 Qd7**
 * 52. Qc4 Qe8**
 * 53. Bxg5 hxg5**
 * 54. Qg8+! Resigns**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Nf6+! Qxf6 2 Ba4+! Nxa4 (2.... Nd7 3 Qxd7#; 2 ... Ke7 3 Qd6#) 3 Qd7#.