DUBOV vs CHEPARINOV - ABU DHABI MASTER 2018 ROUND 9

Dubov won the 25th Abu Dhabi Masters on tiebreak thanks to his final round game against Cheparinov.

Today’s game features a Queen vs minor piece end game out of an Open Catalan that includes some Q&A style annotations.

While playing through the game, scroll slowly so that when you get to the questions you can put some time on the clock (ten to fifteen minutes) and try and find the solution.

Dubov,Daniil (2691) - Cheparinov,Ivan (2718)

25th Abu Dhabi Master 2018 Abu Dhabi (9), 15.08.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.0–0 Nc6 

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7.b3N E04: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3 [7.e3 Rb8 8.Qe2 b5 9.b3 cxb3 10.axb3 Bd6 11.Rd1 Qe7 12.Bb2 0–0 13.Rc1 Bb7 14.Ne5 Nb4 15.Bxb7 Rxb7 1–0 (52) So,W (2778)-Mamedyarov,S (2808) Leuven 2018] 

7...cxb3 8.Qxb3 Be7 9.Bb2 The position is equal. 

9...0–0 10.Nbd2 a5 11.a3 Bd7 12.Nc4 a4 13.Qc2 Na5 14.Nfe5 Nxc4 15.Qxc4 

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15...Nd5! 16.Rfc1 [16.Bxd5 exd5] 

16...c6 17.e4 Nc7 18.Qc2 Be8 19.Rd1 f6 20.Nc4 Ra6 21.Qe2 Kh8 22.f4 Bf7 23.Kh1 Qd7 24.g4 b5 25.Ne3 b4 26.axb4 Bxb4 27.Rac1 a3 28.Ba1 Be7 29.e5 Rfa8! Strongly threatening ...a2. 

30.exf6 Bxf6 31.g5 Be7 32.d5 exd5 33.Nc4 Bd6 34.Nxd6 Qxd6 35.f5 Re8 [35...Kg8–+ 36.f6 g6] 

36.Qf2 [36.Qd2³] 

36...Nb5!–+ 37.g6 hxg6 

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38.Qh4+ 

What was the "forced" move in this position?

[38.f6 was forced. 38...g5 39.fxg7+ Kg8 40.Rf1] 

38...Kg8 39.f6 

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39...Re5! 40.Bxe5 Qxe5 41.fxg7 Kxg7 [41...Qxg7 42.Qh3µ] 

42.Rd3? 

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What would have been the better option for White?

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[42.Qf2 was called for.] 

42...a2 43.Rh3 

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43...Qh5? 

What would have been a better option for Black in this position?

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[Black should try 43...Kg8!–+ 44.Rf1 Nd6 45.Qh7+ Kf8 46.Qh6+ Qg7] 

44.Qf4‚ Black needs to defend precisely. 

44...a1Q 45.Rxh5 gxh5 46.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 47.Bf1 Qe5+ is the strong threat. 

47...Nc3 

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[47...Rd1!=] 

48.Qe5+!± Kg8 49.Kg1 Rxf1+? [49...d4± is a better chance.] 

50.Kxf1+- Ne4 51.Qb8+ Kg7 52.Qe5+ Kg8! 53.Ke2 c5 54.Ke3 c4 55.Kd4 c3 [55...Kh7 was necessary. 56.Qf4 Kg7] 

56.Qc7 Kg7 57.Ke5 Kg8 58.Qc8+ Kg7 59.Qc6 Kh7 60.Kd4 Kg7 61.Qc7 Kg8 62.Kd3 Kg7 63.Qe5+ Kh7 64.Kc2 Kg8 65.Qd4 Kh7 66.Kb3 Bg6 67.Qe5 Kg8 68.Kb4 Kh7 69.Qc7+ Kh6 70.Qf4+ Kh7 71.Kb3 Kg8 [71...d4 keeps fighting. 72.Kc4 c2 73.Kxd4 Nf6] 

72.h4 Kh7 

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73.Qc7+ 

Does White have a better option? What is it?

[White should play 73.Ka3+- ] 

73...Kg8± 74.Kb4 And now Qd8+ would win. 

74...d4? [74...Bf7± 75.Qe5 Kh7 76.Qf5+ Kg8] 

75.Kc4 [¹75.Qc8+ Kg7 76.Qd7+ Kf6 77.Qxd4+ Ke6 78.Qb6+ Kf7 79.Kb3] 

75...c2 76.Kxd4 Nf2 77.Ke3 Ng4+ 78.Kf4 Hoping for Kg5. 

78...Kf8 79.Kg5 

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79...Bf7? 

What alternative did Black have instead of the blunder played?

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What is White's decisive reply to Bf7?

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[79...Bd3 80.Kxh5 Nf6+ 81.Kh6 Nh7] 

80.Qxc2  1–0