"To become a Queen" by Victoria Ivanova

White to Play – Mate in 2!

Hermanis Matisons X Aaron Nimzowitsch - Karlsbad 1929

[Event "Karlsbad"] [Site "Karlstad"] [Date "1929.??.??"] [Round "12"] [White "Matisons, Hermanis"] [Black "Nimzowitsch, Aaron"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E21"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "46"] [EventDate "1929.07.31"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "21"] [EventCountry "SWE"] [SourceTitle ""] [Source "HCA"] [SourceDate ""] [SourceVersion ""] [SourceVersionDate ""] [SourceQuality "1"] {Weak Pawns, Weak Squares and Mighty, Mighty Knights In this game, Nimzovich (a) plants his Knight on a weak square, (b) forces open a file for his Rook and (c) switches the other Knight over to the center of the board, and the power generated by the centralized Knights are devastating.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 d6 6. Qc2 Qe7 {Black is ready to meet 7.e4 with 7... e5, securing a fair share of the center.} 7. Ba3 {White has two objects in mind: (1) to prevent 7... e5, after which 8.dxe5 leaves Black unable to recapture; (2) To advance 8.c5, with the idea of dissolving the doubled Pawn.} c5 {This fixes White´s Pawn at c4, making it a targit of Black´s future attack.} 8. g3 {White will fianchetto the Bishop and control the long diagonal. Here it has the drawback of depriving the weak Pawn at c4 of a defender.} (8. e4 e5 9. d5 O-O 10. Bc1) 8... b6 {Black will dispute control of the diagonal.} 9. Bg2 Bb7 10. O-O O-O 11. Nh4 {White is anxious to exchange Bishops because Black´s has more scope, making (together with f6 Knight) strong pression on e4 square, but a better way to bring about an exchange was by 11.Nd2. The Knight would then exert more influence on the center and also would be a useful protector od the c4 Pawn.} Bxg2 12. Kxg2 ({ Much better would be} 12. Nxg2 {brining the Knight back into play} Nc6 13. e4 Na5 14. Ne3 {with White´s Knight centralized and c4 Pawn defended.}) 12... Qb7+ 13. Kg1 {White gets into dificulties after this. The right move was 13.Nf3.} ( 13. Nf3 Qa6 14. Qb3 Nc6 15. Bc1 Rfc8 16. Bg5 Ne4 17. Qc2 f5 18. d5 Ne5 19. Nxe5 dxe5 20. Be7 Qxc4 21. d6 Qxc3 22. Qb3 Kf7 23. Rh1) (13. f3 g5 (13... Qa6 $1 14. Bb2 Nc6 15. Kg1 Na5 16. Ng2 Nxc4 17. e4) 14. Qd2 (14. Qc1) 14... h6 {and the Knight has no flight square.} 15. Kf2 gxh4 16. Qxh6 Nh7 17. gxh4 Kh8 18. Rg1) 13... Qa6 14. Qb3 Nc6 15. Rfd1 (15. dxc5 bxc5 {The threat is 16... Rab8, winning the a3 Bishop, or 16... Ne5, winning the c4 Pawn.} 16. Qb5 Qxb5 17. cxb5 Na5) (15. Nf3 Na5 16. Qb5 Qxb5 17. cxb5 Nc4 18. Bc1 Nd5 {and the c3 Pawn falls.}) 15... Na5 16. Qb5 Qxb5 17. cxb5 Nc4 $1 {The doubled Pawn has been dissolved, but the weakness of the c4 square remains. Nimzovich anchors his Knight on this vital square and secure new advantages: (1) The Knight is posted aggressively. It attacks the Bishop and drives it back to its original square. (2) The Knight is posted defensively, protecting the d6 and b6 Pawns. (3) The Knight cannot be dislodged by Pawns nor by the Bishop (which operates on black squares only).} 18. Bc1 a6 $1 {Forces opening of the A file: White must capture or loses a Pawn.} 19. bxa6 Rxa6 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. Ng2 Nd5 { Black´s position is superior: his Knights are centralized, while White´s minor pieces are widely scaterred.} 22. Rd3 (22. Bd2 Rfa8 23. e4 Nf6 24. Ne3 Ne5 25. Kg2 Rxa2 26. Rxa2 Rxa2 27. f3) 22... Rfa8 23. e4 Ne5 (23... Ne5 24. Rd1 Nxc3 25. Rf1 (25. Rd2 Nf3+) (25. Re1 Nf3+) 25... Rxa2 26. Rxa2 Nf3+ 27. Kh1 Rxa2 { and White must lose the third Pawn (the e4 one).}) 0-1

White to Play – Mate in 2!

Liren Ding X Jan-Krzysztof Duda - Round 10.1 - 43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open

[Event "43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open"] [Site "Batumi"] [Date "2018.10.04"] [Round "10.1"] [White "Ding, Liren"] [Black "Duda, Jan-Krzysztof"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D24"] [WhiteElo "2804"] [BlackElo "2739"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "75"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} e6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} dxc4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:00:09] LiveBook: 1741 Games} b5 {[%emt 0: 00:06] D24: Queen's Gambit Accepted: 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 Nc3} 6. e5 {[%emt 0:00:11]} Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 7. Nxb5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 8. Be2 { [%emt 0:00:20]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 9. O-O {[%emt 0:00:00]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00: 05]} 10. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:42]} (10. Be3 O-O 11. Nc3 Rb8 12. a3 Bb7 13. Qc2 { 1/2-1/2 (61) Mamedyarov,S (2801)-Caruana,F (2822) Saint Louis 2018}) 10... O-O {[%emt 0:00:24]} 11. Qf4 {[%emt 0:00:39]} Rb8 $146 {[%emt 0:00:24]} ({ Predecessor:} 11... Nb4 12. Qg4 Re8 13. Rd1 {1/2-1/2 (64) Dreev,A (2649) -Grachev,B (2626) Moscow 2018}) 12. Nc3 {[%emt 0:04:14]} f5 {[%emt 0:03:03]} 13. Qg3 {[%emt 0:22:18]} Kh8 {[%emt 0:13:25]} 14. Rd1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nb4 { [%emt 0:07:25]} 15. b3 {[%emt 0:00:20]} cxb3 {[%emt 0:03:39]} 16. axb3 { [%emt 0:00:07]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 17. Bc4 {[%emt 0:15:50]} Nc2 {[%emt 0:17: 50]} 18. Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Nb4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 19. Ra1 {[%emt 0:04:49]} Nc2 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 20. Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Nb4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 21. Re2 { [%emt 0:04:59]} a5 {[%emt 0:07:59]} 22. d5 {[%emt 0:00:33]} exd5 {[%emt 0:21: 30]} 23. e6 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Bd6 {[%emt 0:03:30]} (23... Rf6 $11) 24. Qh3 { [%emt 0:07:31]} (24. Bf4 $16 Bxf4 25. Qxf4) 24... Qf6 {[%emt 0:04:35]} (24... dxc4 25. Ng5 $16 (25. e7 Qxe7 26. Rxe7 Bxe7 $14)) 25. Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} ({ Stronger than} 25. Nxd5 N4xd5 26. Bxd5 (26. Ng5 h6 $19) 26... Nxd5 $17) ({ Of course not} 25. Ng5 h6 $15) 25... dxc4 {[%emt 0:07:17]} 26. Nxd6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} (26. Ng5 $1 $11 {hält das Gleichgewicht.} h6 27. Nxd6 cxd6 28. e7) 26... cxd6 {[%emt 0:03:15]} (26... Bxe6 $17 27. Nxc4 (27. Ng5 Bg8 $17) 27... Bxc4 28. bxc4 Rbd8) 27. e7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Re8 {[%emt 0:03:10] [#]} (27... Bd7 $1 $14 28. exf8=N Rxf8 29. Bg5 Qg6 $14) 28. Ng5 $1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Qg6 { [%emt 0:00:22] [#]} (28... h6 $142 29. Qh5 Bd7 30. Rxd6 N6d5 31. Nf7+ (31. bxc4 $2 Nf4 $19) 31... Kh7) 29. Rxd6 $1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} f4 {[%emt 0:00:05] [#]} 30. Qh4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:38]} Qb1 {[%emt 0:01:42]} 31. Re1 $2 {[%emt 0:03:14]} (31. Qxf4 $18 Bd7 {[#]} 32. Rf6 $3 (32. bxc4 Na2 $11) 32... gxf6 33. Qxf6+ Kg8 34. Qf7+ Kh8 35. Rc2 $1) 31... Bf5 $2 {[%emt 0:01:44]} ({Wrong is} 31... cxb3 $2 32. Rd8 $18) (31... Bd7 $16 {is a better defense.}) 32. Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:42]} Bg6 $2 {[%emt 0:00:55] [#]} (32... Nc6) 33. Rxb8 $1 {[%emt 0:01:20]} ({Worse is } 33. Nxh7 Kg8 $17) 33... Rxb8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 34. Qxf4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} ({ Don't go for} 34. Nxh7 $2 Kg8 $19) 34... Rg8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 35. Nf7+ { [%emt 0:00:17]} Bxf7 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 36. Qxf7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nd7 {[%emt 0: 01:39]} 37. e8=Q {[%emt 0:00:15]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 38. Bg5 $18 {[%emt 0:02: 48]} 1-0

Peter Leko X Maxime Vachier-Lagrave - Round 7.1 - 43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open

[Event "43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open"] [Site "Batumi"] [Date "2018.10.01"] [Round "7.1"] [White "Leko, Peter"] [Black "Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2690"] [BlackElo "2780"] [Annotator ""] [PlyCount "142"] [EventDate "2018.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} d6 {[%emt 0: 00:00]} 3. d4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 6. f3 { [%emt 0:00:08]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Nb3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00:00] } 8. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 9. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Nbd7 { [%emt 0:00:04]} 10. Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:00] B90: Sicilian Najdorf: Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 Ng4 and 6 Be3 e5} Bxd5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 11. exd5 {[%emt 0:00: 07]} g6 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 12. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:26]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 13. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:10] LiveBook: 3 Games} (13. O-O a5 14. a4 O-O 15. Bb5 Qc7 16. c4 b6 17. h3 Nc5 18. Nxc5 bxc5 {1/2-1/2 (49) Carlsen,M (2842)-Vachier Lagrave, M (2779) Biel 2018}) 13... O-O {[%emt 0:03:47] [#]} 14. g4 $146 {[%emt 0:02:15] } ({Predecessor:} 14. Kb1 Qc7 15. g4 Rfc8 16. Rc1 a5 {1/2-1/2 (44) Velilla Velasco,F (2565)-Biedermann,T (2456) ICCF email 2014}) 14... a5 {[%emt 0:03:25] } 15. a4 {[%emt 0:00:44]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:07:19]} 16. gxh5 {[%emt 0:01:51]} Nxh5 { [%emt 0:01:34]} 17. Bb5 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:13:19]} 18. h4 {[%emt 0: 48:21]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} (18... Rc8 $142) 19. h5 $1 $16 {[%emt 0:18:13]} Nxh5 {[%emt 0:01:13]} 20. Bh6 {[%emt 0:00:59]} (20. Rxh5 $16 gxh5 21. Rg1) 20... Nf4 $1 $14 {[%emt 0:00:00]} ({Not} 20... Bxh6 $2 21. Qxh6 Rfc8 22. c3 $18 ) 21. Bxf4 {[%emt 0:15:24]} (21. Nd4 $5) 21... exf4 {[%emt 0:00:28]} 22. Qxf4 { [%emt 0:01:40]} Rfc8 {[%emt 0:02:10]} 23. Qe4 $1 {[%emt 0:00:44]} Nxa4 { [%emt 0:16:42]} 24. Bxa4 {[%emt 0:00:17]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 25. Bxb5 { [%emt 0:02:09]} a4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} 26. Nd4 {[%emt 0:01:32] Black must now prevent Bc6.} a3 {[%emt 0:00:12] Hoping for ...Bxd4.} 27. Bc6 {[%emt 0:02:09] bxa3 is the strong threat.} axb2+ {[%emt 0:12:01]} 28. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Ra2 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 29. Rb1 $1 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Qa5+ {[%emt 0:03:37]} 30. c3 $1 { [%emt 0:01:15]} Ra4 {[%emt 0:04:25]} 31. Bxa4 {[%emt 0:00:50]} Qxc3+ {[%emt 0: 00:04]} 32. Kd1 {[%emt 0:02:27]} (32. Ke2 $16 Bxd4 33. Qd3) 32... Qc1+ $2 { [%emt 0:02:07]} (32... Bxd4 $11 {and Black is okay.} 33. Bc6 Rb8) 33. Ke2 $18 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Qc4+ {[%emt 0:00:06]} 34. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:15]} Qxa4 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} 35. Nc6 $2 {[%emt 0:01:12]} (35. Rh4 $1 $18 Re8+ 36. Kf2) 35... Re8+ $11 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 36. Kf2 {[%emt 0:00:14] And now Kg3 would win.} Qf4 $1 { [%emt 0:00:29]} 37. Rbe1 $2 {[%emt 0:02:01]} (37. Rh3 $11) 37... Rxe1 $19 { [%emt 0:00:12]} 38. Rxe1 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Qh2+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} 39. Kf1 { [%emt 0:00:22]} Qh1+ {[%emt 0:00:00] Black has strong compensation.} 40. Kf2 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qh2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 41. Kf1 {[%emt 0:15:35] [#]} Bf6 $1 { [%emt 0:08:19] ( -> ...Bh4)} 42. Rd1 {[%emt 0:09:49] [#]} Bh4 $1 {[%emt 0:01: 16]} 43. Qd4 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Bg3 $40 {[%emt 0:01:09] White is in trouble.} 44. Nb4 {[%emt 0:05:55] [#]} b1=Q $1 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 45. Rxb1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qh1+ {[%emt 0:00:07]} 46. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qxb1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 47. Nd3 { [%emt 0:00:20]} Qc2+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} 48. Kf1 {[%emt 0:00:24]} Qd2 {[%emt 0:03: 40]} 49. Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:24] [#]} Bh4 $1 {[%emt 0:01:37]} 50. f4 $2 {[%emt 0: 00:38]} (50. Qe2 {might work better.} Qa5 51. Qe4) (50. Qxh4 Qxd3+) 50... Qd1+ {[%emt 0:00:21]} 51. Kg2 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Qg4+ {[%emt 0:00:35]} 52. Kf1 { [%emt 0:00:14]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 53. Qe3 {[%emt 0:02:10]} Qf5 {[%emt 0:00: 20]} 54. Qf3 {[%emt 0:01:50]} g5 {[%emt 0:01:16]} 55. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:11]} (55. Qe3 $142) 55... g4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 56. Qg2 {[%emt 0:00:37]} Qg6 {[%emt 0:01: 57]} 57. Qh1 {[%emt 0:01:03]} Bf6 {[%emt 0:01:53]} 58. Ke3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:01:08]} 59. Qg2 {[%emt 0:00:27]} Bd8 {[%emt 0:00:55]} 60. Qb2+ { [%emt 0:00:10]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 61. Qh2+ {[%emt 0:01:18]} Kg8 {[%emt 0:00: 06]} 62. Qb2 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Ba5 {[%emt 0:01:21]} ({Black should try} 62... f5 $19 63. Kf2 g3+ 64. Kf1 Qh5) 63. Qg2 $2 {[%emt 0:00:38]} (63. Nf2 $17) 63... Bb6+ {[%emt 0:02:02]} 64. Ke2 {[%emt 0:00:17]} g3 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 65. Ne1 { [%emt 0:00:33]} Ba5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 66. Nd3 {[%emt 0:00:21]} Kf8 {[%emt 0:01: 27]} 67. Ke3 $2 {[%emt 0:00:31]} (67. f5 Qh5+ 68. Ke3) 67... Bb6+ {[%emt 0:00: 15] Black is clearly winning.} 68. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Qg4 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 69. Kc3 {[%emt 0:01:06]} Be3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 70. Kc2 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Bxf4 { [%emt 0:00:39]} 71. Ne1 {[%emt 0:00:25]} Be5 {[%emt 0:00:24] Precision: White = 61%, Black = 67%.} 0-1