Nakamura outshines ’em all

Hikaru Nakamura, the brightest American star at 26, emerged on top in the recently concluded London Chess Classic, one of those major English-sponsored tournaments which have become traditional in the European chess circuit. Nakamura played steady chess throughout, and paced himself well, en route to clinching first ahead of a powerful cast headed by former world champions Vishy Anand (India) and Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), and once world challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel.

He beat local GM Nigel Short 1.5:0.5 in the quarterfinals, and defeated Kramnik and Gelfand by the same score in the semifinal and final rounds. The American chess wizard has moved into fourth place in the Dec. world chess rankings and is expected to take third spot behind Carlsen and Aronian in the Jan. 2014 rankings.

* * *

In the following game, Nak’s lot in the Gruenfeld is unappetizing. But some tactical tricks and lots of fighting spirit, carry the day for the American champion.

5th London Chess Classic

Game 1 Finals

W) H. Nakamura (USA)

B)  B. Gelfand (Israel)

Gruenfeld Defense

1. d4              Nf6

2. c4              g6

3. Nc3           d5

4. Nf3            Bg7

5. Qb3           ...

This very old line,  which has become popular in the 50s, is known as the Russian Variation. An interesting novelty is 5. h4!? as played in the game Mamedyarov-Kariakin, World Mind Games, Beijing 2013.

5...                dxc4

Theory regards this move as best.  After 5...c6 6. cxd5 Nxd5 (or 6...cxd5 7. Bg5 e6 8. e3 0-0 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. h3 Qa5 11. 0-0 favors White) 7. e4 Nb6 8. Be3 0-0 9. Rd1 Bg4 10. Be2, White stands slightly better.

6. Qxc4         0-0

The alternative is 6...c6 and after 7. e4 b6 8. Qb3 a5 9. Ng5 0-0 10. e5 Ne8 11. Qd1, White has a slight advantage.

7. e4              a6!?

It is well-known that this is the strongest continuation. Here also are numerous possibilities of more or less debatable nature arising from moves like 7...Bg4, 7...c6, 7...Ne8 and 7...Na6.

8. e5              ...

A possibility is 8. Qb3 c6 9. e5 Nd5 and the game is about even.

8...                 b5

9. Qb3           Nfd7

After 9...Nh5 10. Be2 Nc6 11. Qd1 b4 12. Ne4, White has a slight edge.

10. Ng5          ...

10. Be3 is a safer alternative.  E.g. 10...Nb6 11. a4 Be6 12. Qd1 c6 13. h3 Bf5 with equal chances, but there is a chance of anything as for many variations may ensue.

10...                Nc6

10...Nb6 11. Be3 Bf5 leads to equality.

11. Nxf7!?      ...

An interesting line, after which the position is replete with dangerous possibilities. After 11. Ne6!? Nxd4 12. Nxd4 Nxe5 13. Qd5 Qxd5 14. Nxd5 Rd8 15. Nxe7ch Kf8 16. Nec6 Nxc6 17. Nxc6 Re8ch 18. Kd1 Bb7 19. Nb4 Rad8ch,  Black probably has some compensation.

11...                Rxf7

12. e6             Nxd4

13. exf7ch      Kf8

14. Qd1          Nc5

14...Ne5 15. Be3 Bg4 seems unclear.

15. Be3          Bf5

16. Rc1          Qd6?!

16...b4!? 17. Nb1 Qd5 seems to offer Black active play.

17. b4!?         Ne4?

Better is the solid 17...Nce6!? or the computer-suggested 17...Rd8! which leads to unclear consequences after 18. bxc5 Qe5 19. Be2 Nc2ch 20. Qxc2 Bxc2 21. Rxc2 b4, with White having material advantage, but is somewhat behind in development. The text only lightens White’s task.

18. Nxe4        Bxe4

19. f3              Bf5

20. Qd2          Rd8

21. Kf2           Kxf7

22. Be2          Qf6?

Black’s game is still playable. but he cannot afford another blunder. The text simply gives up a pawn after which his game is lost. Correct is 22...Rd7 and after 23. g4 Be6 24. a3 Nxe2 25. Qxe2 Bc4, the game is still unclear.

23. Rxc7        Ne6

24. Rd7         Rc8

24...Rxd7 25. Qxd7 Qh4ch 26. g3 Qxb4 27. Qd5, White is clearly better and should win with accurate play.

25. Bd3          Rc3

26. Bxf5         gxf5

27. f4             Rc4

28. Rc1          Re4

29. g3             h5

30. h4            Qg6

31. Bc5          Bf6

32. Re1         Qg4

33. Rxe4       fxe4

34. Qd1         Qf5

Also hopeless for Black is 34...Qg6 35. Be3 Qf5 36. Kg1.

35. Rd5         Qh3

36. Qf1          1:0

Both 36...Qh2ch 37. Qg2 and 36...Qg4 37. Qe2 lead to the same result.

Solution to last week’s puzzle:

(White to play and win.)

White: Kg1, Rd1, Bg2, Ne3, Pc4, Pf2, Pg3, Ph2

Black: Kg8, Re6, Bc8, Nf6, Pc5, Pf7, Pg7, Ph7

1. Bc6!        1:0

Black has no defense against the threat of 2. Rd8ch followed by 3. Rxc8. For example 1...Rxc6? 2. Rd8ch and mate next. Or 1...Kf8 2. Rd8ch Ne8 3. Rxc8.