Tata Steel Festival ushers in 2017

The Tata Steel Festival, which ushers in the major chess calendar for the New Year, gets underway Jan. 14-29 in the Dutch coastal town of Wijk aan Zee.

The 79th edition will as usual be played in a single round robin, classical time control format, with the traditional 14-player, main event to be spearheaded by Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen and world blitz champion Sergey Kariakin of Russia. Other big names this year included 2016 chess player of the year Wesley So (USA), ranked fourth in the world, No. 9 Levon Aronian of Armenia, No. 10 Anish Giri of the host country, No. 11 Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and No. 12 Pentala Harikrishna of India. Completing the formidable cast were super GMs Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine), Polish Radoslav Wojtaszek, Russian Dmitry Andreikin, Indian Baskaran Adhiban local bet Loek van Wely and talented youngsters Wei Yi (China) and Richard Rapport of Hungary.

Speaking of Yi and Rapport, the world’s highest-rated juniors (under-20), had a four-game match on Dec. 20-23 in Yancheng, China. The classical games ended in a 2-2 tie, but the Hungarian prevailed, 2-1, in the blitz tiebreak.

In the following game, a highly dubious move by Black enables White to launch a dangerous attack. For some time the middle game is fraught with explosive possibilities, with Black putting up a stiff resistance, only to collapse in the end. White’s winning play, starting with a little finesse, is pleasant to follow.

Classical Game 1

W) Wei Yi (China)

B) R. Rapport (Hungary)

French Defense

1. e4                 e6

2. d4                 d5

3. Nd2               ...

This, the Tarrasch Variation, leads to a more positional type of struggle than the complexities arising from the Winawer Variation 3. Nc3 Bb4.

3...                  b6!?

Rather unexpected. Black refrains from the standard 3...c5 in favor of something non-theoretical. The idea is to avoid an isolated d pawn after Black’s ...c5. Another plan is quick Q-side development followed by ...0-0-0. However, the line remains a rare bird in tournament play.

4. Ngf3               ...

4. c3 is usual here, and after 4...Bd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. e5 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qd7 8. 0-0 0-0-0 9. f4 f5 10. Nf3 c4 11. Bc2, White has a slight advantage. Or 4. c3 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. e5 Nfd7 7. Ne2 Be7 8. 0-0 Bb7 and White stands better=computer.

4...                  Nf6

5. e5                 ...

5. Bd3 is the engine’s choice.

5...                  Nfd7

6. c4                 c5

7. cxd5               exd5

8. Bd3               ...

8. Bb5 seems stronger.

8...                  Nc6

9. 0-0                Be7

10. Re1               ...

After 10. Bb5, the engine provided these possibilities. 10...Qc7 11. Nb3 a6 12. Bxc6 Qxc6 13. Bg5 Bxg5 14. Nxg5 h6 15. Nh3 c4 16. Nd2 Nf8 17. Nf4 and White has a fine advantage.

10...                 Nf8

11. Bb5              Bd7

12. dxc5              bxc5

13. Nf1               Rb8

14. Be2               Be6

15. Qa4              Qb6

16. Ne3               ...

The engine recommends 16. b4!?, which is probably stronger.

16...                 Nd7

17. Qf4?!             ...

Seems dubious, but White is striving for more, and, in doing so, is taking a risk. The modest 17. Qd1 instead is better.

17...                 Qb4!

This move thwarts White’s intentions, gaining an important tempo as White cannot afford a Queen exchange.

18. Qg3              ...

White has no good choice. Trading Queens clearly favors Black after 18. Qxb4 Nxb4 19. a3 Nc6. Now Black will play for the initiative.

18...                 Nd4!

19. Bd2              ...

A risky venture. The natural 19. Kf1 is preferable.

19...                 Nxe2ch

20. Rxe2              Qxb2

21. Rae1              g6?!

The start of Black’s trouble. Correct is 21...Kf8! which leads to a superior game for Black because after 22. Qf4 Qxa2 23. Nf5 Qc4!, White cannot avoid exchanging Queens.

22. Ng4!              ...

Now complications rapidly mounts.

22...                 Qxa2

23. Nf6ch             Kd8

After 23...Bxf6 24. exf6 0-0 25. Bh6, White obtains powerful compensation for his material deficit.

24. Ng5              Rb6

The aggressive 24...Rb2, which leads to a more lively game, should have been tried.

25. Be3               Qa3?

The losing move. This Queen has no perfect retreat, but surely 25...Qa6 can be tried.

26. Nxf7ch!           Bxf7

27. e6                Bxe6

28. Rxe6              Rxe6

29. Rxe6              Qa2?

This loses by forced, but other moves have only a delaying effect at best. For instance 29...Qcich (or 29...Qa4 30. Nxd7 Kxd7 31. Rxe7ch Kxe7 32. Qe5ch Kd7 33. Qxd5ch Kc7 34. Bxh8) 30. Re1 Qxe1ch 31. Bxe1 Bxf6 32. Qd6, etc.

30. Nxd7             Kxd7

31. Rxe7ch!           Kxe7

32. Qc7ch            Ke6

33. Qc6ch            Ke7

34. Qxc5ch           Ke6

35. Qc6ch            Ke7

36. Qb7ch            1:0

36...K-any is simply met by 37. Bxh8.

Solution to last week’s puzzle:

Black to play and win.

W=Kh1, Qd1, Rc2, Be6, Pa4, Pe4, Pg3, Ph2

B=Kg6, Qe3, Rf2, Nf3, Pa5, Pc6, Pe5, Pg7

1...                  Qe1ch!

2. Qxe1              Rxc2

0:1

The threat is 3...Rxh2 mate and if 3. Qg1 Nxg1 4. Kxg1 Kf6, Black wins easily.