Rainham Chess Club - Nikolaev-Glek

Nikolaev,S - Glek, I

Tal Memorial Tournament, Moscow

11th September 1992

The annotation of this game is based upon an article by Danny King published by Chess Magazine, February 1993.

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.0–0 0–0 6.b3 d6 7.Bb2 Qe8 8.c4 Na6 9.Nbd2

9...e5

The simplest approach for Black but he does have other options that demonstrate the rich variety of the Leningrad Dutch.

[9...h6 An interesting move, Black prepares g5 allowing the queen to move out to g6 or h5.; 9...c5 More aggressive. If 10.d5 Black may undermine the pawn chain with 10...b5 (or 10...Nc7 followed by a6) ; 9...c6 closing the long diagonal and intending to bring the knight to c7 to guard the e6 square]

10.dxe5 Ng4

[10...Nd7 is also possible but it may hamper the development of the bishop.; 10...dxe5? simply loses a pawn.]

11.Qc2 dxe5

[11...Nb4 is playable here.]

12.e4

preventing the Black e pawn advancing.

12...Nb4

[12...f4 restraining White's king bishop 13.h3 (13.c5 fxg3 14.hxg3 Qb5 is pleasant for Black.) 13...Nh6; 12...Nc5 13.Ba3 b6; 12...fxe4? is poor as it allows White to establish a good knight on e4 13.Nxe4]

13.Qc3 Nc6

This is the idea behind Nb4. From c6 the knight defends the e-pawn and one day may hop to d4.

[13...a5 14.a3 Nc6 15.b4 and White gets some queen-side activity; 13...c5 14.a3 Nc6 15.b4]

14.exf5 gxf5

Black maintains a strong and mobile pawn centre.

[14...Bxf5? allows White to set create strong central pressure. 15.h3 (or 15.Rae1 ) 15...Nf6 16.g4 e4 17.Rae1²]

15.Rfe1

15...Bf6!

Black must tread very carefully.

[15...Qh5? 16.h3! Nh6 17.Nxe5 Nf7 (17...Nxe5 18.Rxe5 Bxe5 19.Qxe5 and Black is mated on the long diagonal.; 17...f4 18.Bd5+ Kh8 19.Nf7+ Rxf7 20.Re8+ Ng8 21.Qxg7+ Rxg7 22.Rxg8#) 18.Bd5 wins; 15...Rf7 16.Ng5 (16.Nxe5 Ncxe5 17.f4 Re7 18.fxe5 Nxe5 19.Bd5+ Kh8 20.Qc2²) 16...e4 17.Qc1 Re7=]

16.Nh4 f4?

Black slips up.

[16...e4! 17.Qc1 Nce5³ The knight is heading for d3. This variation demonstrates the advantage of taking back on f5 with the pawn at move 14.]

17.Bd5+ Kh8

[17...Be6 18.Qf3±]

18.Ne4 Bg7

This retreat clearly shows that Black has gone astray.

19.Nf3

[19.Ba3 would have increased White's pressure.]

19...Qh5!

Black gets back on the attack.

20.Ba3

20...Bd7

Conceding the exchange to maintain a rook on the Open file that is essential if the Black attack is to succeed.

21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.Bxc6?

Another poor move.

[22.h4 Nd4 threatening c6 trapping the bishop. 23.Nxd4 exd4 24.Qd2 c6 25.Nc5 fxg3 26.fxg3 cxd5 27.Nxd7 Rf3 with a winning attack.; 22.Nh4! blocks the attack on the h2 pawn and removes the knight as a target on f3.]

22...Bxc6 23.b4

[23.h4 Qf5 24.Nfd2 fxg3³]

23...Nxf2!

Black breaks through.

24.Kxf2 fxg3+ 25.hxg3

[25.Kxg3 Qg6+ 26.Nfg5 Bxe4 27.Rxe4 Qxg5+ (27...Rf4 28.h4 Rxe4 is also winning.) 28.Rg4 Qf4+ 29.Rxf4 exf4+ 30.Kf3 Bxc3; 25.Kg2 gxh2 is crushing.]

25...Qh2+ 26.Kf1

[26.Ke3 Bh6+ 27.Nfg5 Bxg5+ 28.Nxg5 Qxg3+ 29.Kd2 Rf2+ and White loses everything.]

26...Bxe4 27.Rxe4 Qxg3

and here White resigned as 28.Ke2 Qg2+ followed by Rf3; or 28.Re3 e4 hits everything.

0–1