SCHOLARS MATE AT THE BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 - ROUND 5

I am used to seeing short games involving painful blunders in the opening round of an Olympiad. That is when you have massive rating differences and the stronger player is able to see and exploit the blunder. This year was no different with a game that finished in nine moves with Mate on f7.

However, as the tournament progresses and team matchups become closer and closer games tend to get longer and longer. There are still the chances of semi miniatures of around 25 moves that feature a massive attack out of the opening.

That is why round 5 at Batumi 2018 was such a surprise. We had not one, but two shockers. One was a fourteen mover, while the other was a variation of the classic Scholars Mate. I can’t remember ever seeing a four move Mate in a major international tournament.

I remember getting caught with Scholars Mate when I was seven or eight years old. When I was in high school I played the Dragon Sicilian and managed to trap the White Queen when my opponent attempted a Scholars Mate.

I include both of these games below, with diagrams of the final positions. I hope that you can forgive the lack of detailed analysis in both instances. The first features WIM Roysha Mougal of Seychelles with White against Maria Esther Granados Diaz of Nicaragua with Black, played on board one of their match. The second was also a board one game, this time from the match between Palau and Gambia. It featured Joan Gemota with White and Fatou Jabbie with Black.

Mougal Roysha - Granados Diaz,Maria Esther (1817)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Women Batumi (5.1), 28.09.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.c3 e6 4.Bf4 d5 5.Ne5 Nc6 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.e3 Bd6 8.Bg5 Rf8 9.Bd3 Kg8 10.0–0 Qc7 11.Bxf6 Rxf6 12.Qh5 Rh6 13.Qe8+ Bf8 14.Na3 Qxh2# 0–1

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Gemota,Joan (1346) - Jabbie Fatou

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Women Batumi (5.1), 28.09.2018

1.e4 c6 2.Bc4 b6 3.Qf3 g6 4.Qxf7#  1–0

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BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 5 – AGHABEKIAN vs SIHITE

This game is from round 5 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Liana Aghabekian with White against Chelsie Monica Ignes Sihite with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian Defence.

Aghabekian,Liana (2188) - Sihite,Chelsie Monica Ignes (2244)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Women Batumi (5.1), 28.09.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6 6.Bb3 Ba7 7.Nbd2 d6 8.h3 Ne7 9.Nf1 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3 

9...Ng6 10.Ng3 0–0 11.0–0 Be6 [11...h6 12.d4 Re8 13.Re1 b5 14.Be3 Bb7 15.Bc2 exd4 16.Nxd4 d5 17.Nb3 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 1/2–1/2 (55) Miton,K (2584)-Bacrot,E (2725) Riadh 2017] 

12.Nh2 c6 13.Ng4 Nxg4 14.hxg4 

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14...d5N [14...Nf4 15.Qf3 Bxb3 16.axb3 Ne6 17.Nf5 1–0 (37) Srijit,P (2247)-Valls Marti,A (2140) Barcelona 2017] 

15.Qf3 a5 16.Bc2 b5 17.Nf5 a4 18.a3 Bb6 19.g3 Ra7 20.Kg2 f6 21.Rh1 dxe4 22.dxe4 Rd7 

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23.g5! Rd2! [23...fxg5 24.Qh5] 

24.Bxd2± Qxd2 25.Rac1 Qxg5 26.Rcd1 Bc4 ...Be2! is the strong threat. 

27.Kh2 Bc5 28.Rd7 Rf7 29.Rxf7 Bxf7 30.Rd1 

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30...Nf8 With the idea ...Bh5. 

31.Qe2 [31.Rd8±] 

31...Be6 [31...Bc4= 32.Qf3 Be6] 

32.Bb1 [32.Qd2²] 

32...Bxf2 [32...g6!? 33.Nh4™ Kg7=] 

33.Rd8? [33.Rd6!= and White stays safe. 33...Bxf5 34.Qxf2] 

33...Bc5!–+ 34.Kg2 h5? [34...g6–+ 35.Nh4 Kg7] 

35.Qd2!= Qg4 Hoping for ...h4! 

36.Qd1! Qg5 37.Qd2! Qg4 38.Qd1! Qg5 39.Qd2! Qg6 40.Rb8? [40.Qf2= Bxf2 41.Ne7+ Kf7 42.Nxg6] 

40...Qf7? [40...Qg4!µ 41.Qe1 h4!] 

41.Qd8 aiming for Nd6. 

41...Bxf5 [41...Kh7!= 42.Qe8 Qxe8 43.Rxe8 Kg8] 

42.exf5± 

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42...h4 Black wants to play ...Qh5. 

43.Be4 [White has to play 43.Qd1!± ] 

43...Qh5= 44.Bxc6 Black must now prevent Qd5+. 

44...Qe2+ 45.Kh3 Qf1+ 46.Kxh4 Qxf5 ( -> ...g5+) 

47.Qc8ƒ Black is under pressure. 

47...Qg5+ 48.Kh3 Strongly threatening Qg4. 

48...Qh6+ 49.Kg2 And now Qd7 would win. 

49...Qd2+ 50.Kh1 

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Threatens to win with Qe6+. 

50...Qe1+? [50...Qh6+= 51.Kg2 Qd2+ 52.Kh3 Qh6+ 53.Kg2] 

51.Kh2!+- Threatening mate with Qe6+. 

51...Qf2+ 52.Bg2 e4 [¹52...Kh7 53.Rxb5 Bd6] 

53.Qe6+ [53.Kh3 f5+-] 

53...Kh8 54.Qxe4 Bd6 55.Qh4+ Kg8 56.Rd8 g5? [56...Bc7 might work better.] 

57.Qg4 White wants to mate with Qe6+. 

57...Bc5 58.Qf3 Qg1+ 59.Kh3 Be7 60.Re8 Kf7 [¹60...Qc5 61.Qd5+ Kg7 62.Qxc5 Bxc5] 

61.Qh5+ Ng6 [#] 62.Rxe7+! Kxe7 63.Qxg6 Qf2 64.Qe4+ Kf7 65.Qd5+ Kg7 66.Qxb5 Qg1 67.Qd7+ Kh6 68.Qf5 Kg7 69.c4 [¹69.Be4 g4+ 70.Qxg4+ Kf8 71.Qe6 Qf1+ 72.Kh4 Qf2 73.Qc8+ Kg7 74.Qc7+ Kf8 75.Qd8+ Kf7 76.Bd5+ Kg7 77.Qg8+ Kh6 78.Qh8+ Kg6 79.Qh5+ Kg7 80.Qf7+ Kh6 81.Bc4] 

69...Qd4 70.c5 Qxb2 71.c6 Qc1 72.Be4 g4+ 73.Qxg4+ Kf8 74.Qc8+ Kg7 75.Qd7+ Kf8 76.Qd8+ Kf7 77.Bd5+ Kg6 78.Qg8+ Kh6 79.Be4 f5 80.Qe6+ Kg7 81.Qxf5 [¹81.Qe5+ Kf8 82.Qxf5+ Ke7 83.Qd7+ Kf8 84.Qd6+ Kg8 85.Bd5+ Kh7 86.Qe7+ Kh6 87.Qf8+ Kh5 88.Be4] 

81...Qg1 

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82.c7 White mates. 

82...Qc1 83.c8Q Qh6+ 84.Kg4 Qf4+ 85.Kxf4 1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 5 – CARUANA vs GELFAND

This game is from round 5 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Fabiano Caruana with White against Boris Gelfand with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian Defence.

Caruana,Fabiano (2827) - Gelfand,Boris (2703)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (5.1), 28.09.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bg7 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0–0 8.0–0 Ne8 9.Be3 b6 B31: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5 g6 

10.e5 [10.Qd2 Nc7 11.Bh6 Ne6 12.e5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Ne4 Bxe5 15.Bxf8 Qxf8 16.Rae1 Bg7 17.Ng5 c5 18.f4 e6 19.g4 1/2–1/2 (45) Tari,A (2584)-Dudukin,I (2396) chess.com INT 2017] 

10...f6 11.Re1 

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11...Nc7 The position is equal. 

12.Qd2N [12.a4 looks sharper. 12...fxe5 13.a5 Rb8 14.axb6 axb6 15.Bd2; 12.exf6 exf6 13.Qd2 g5 14.Nh2 Nd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.f4 h6 17.Nf1 0–1 (36) Mkrtchian,L (2424) -Ushenina,A (2449) Ekaterinburg 2007] 

12...fxe5 [12...g5=] 

13.Bh6± Rxf3 

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14.Bxg7! Kxg7 15.gxf3 Bxh3 16.Rxe5 e6 17.Rg5 [17.a4±] 

17...Qf6= 18.Rg3 Bf5 19.Kg2 h5 20.Rh1 Rxh5 is the strong threat. 

20...Rh8! 21.Ne4ƒ White has some pressure. 

21...Qxb2 22.Qf4 [22.Qg5² Nd5 23.c3] 

22...Nd5 23.Qd6 And now c4 would win. 

23...e5? [23...h4!= and Black is okay.] 

24.Rh4 [24.Rg1+- and White stays clearly on top. 24...Rg8 25.Kh1 (25.Qxc6 Bxe4 26.Kh1 Kh7=) ] 

24...Qd4? [24...Rf8±] 

25.Kg1+- Rf8 26.Rxh5! Bxe4 27.Qd7+ White mates. [Less strong is 27.dxe4 Nf4²] 

27...Kf6 28.Qxc6+ Kg7 29.Qd7+ [29.dxe4 Nf4±] 

29...Kf6 30.fxe4 Nf4 

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31.Rf5+! gxf5 32.Qxf5+ [Not 32.Qg7+ Ke6=] 

32...Ke7 33.Rg7+  1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 4 – MAMEDYAROV vs ADAMS

This game is from round 4 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Shakhriyar Mamedyarov with White against Michael Adams with Black.

Today’s game features a Queens Gambit Declined.

Mamedyarov,Shakhriyar (2820) - Adams,Michael (2712)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (4.1), 27.09.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0–0 11.Bc4 Nd7 12.0–0 b6 13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Rfe1 Rc8 D41: Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch with 5 cxd5 

15.Bb3 h6 [15...Nf6 16.Qf4 Re8 17.h3 Nh5 18.Qe5 Nf6 19.Qf4 Nh5 20.Qg4 Nf6 21.Qf4 1/2–1/2 (21) So,W (2780)-Wei,Y (2729) chess.com INT 2018] 

16.h3 Re8 17.Re3 Qf6 18.Qe2 Qf4 

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19.g3N [19.Ne1 Red8 20.Nd3 Qf6 21.d5 exd5 22.e5 1–0 (57) Sakaev,K (2619)-Hera,I (2527) Budva 2009] 

19...Qc7 20.d5 exd5 21.exd5 Rxe3 22.Qxe3 Qc5 23.Qf4 Qc3 24.Nd4 Re8 25.d6 Nf6 Threatens to win with ... Re1+. [Don't go for 25...Re1+? 26.Kh2+-] 

26.Kh2! aiming for Rc1. [Of course not 26.d7 Rd8=] 

26...Qb2 [26...Be4²] 

27.Nc2? [27.d7!+- Rd8 28.Nf5] 

27...Qc3= 28.Nd4? [28.Ne3= g5 29.Qd4 Qxd4 30.Rxd4] 

28...Qb2!+- 29.d7! Rd8 

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30.Nf5!ƒ Keeping Black busy. 

30...Be4? [30...Kh7] 

31.Nd6! Bg6 32.Nc4 Qe2 33.Ne5 Kh7 34.g4 b5 35.Qe3 Qb2? [35...Qxe3 36.fxe3 a5] 

36.Kg1 b4 37.Nxg6 1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 4 – CARUANA vs ANAND

This game is from round 4 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Fabiano Caruana with White against Viswanathan Anand with Black.

Today’s game features an Open Catalan.

Caruana,Fabiano (2827) - Anand,Viswanathan (2771)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (4.1), 27.09.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 

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7.Be3N E03: Open Catalan: 5 Qa4+ Nbd7 6 Qxc4 [7.Qc2 c5 8.Nf3 b5 9.Ne5 Nd5 10.Nxd7 Bxd7 11.Bxd5 exd5 12.dxc5 Bc6 13.0–0 d4 14.Bf4 Qd5 15.f3 d3 16.exd3 Qxc5+ 17.Qxc5 Bxc5+ 18.Kg2 Bd4 19.Nc3 Kd7 20.Rae1 1/2–1/2 (20) Giri,A (2752)-Anand,V (2767) Wijk aan Zee 2018] 

7...Bd6 8.Qc2 0–0 9.Nh3 White has an edge. 

9...e5 10.0–0 h6 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nc3 Qe7 13.Rad1 Re8 14.Nf4 c6 15.Bd4 g5 16.Nd3 Nxd3 17.Rxd3 Be5 [Wrong is 17...Bf5? 18.Bxf6 Bxd3 19.Bxe7+-] 

18.Qd2 Bf5 19.e4ƒ aiming for Bxe5. White has good play. 

19...Bg6 20.f4 gxf4 [20...Bxd4+= keeps the balance. 21.Rxd4 Rad8] 

21.Bxe5± Qxe5 

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22.gxf4 [Of course not 22.Qxf4?! Qxf4 23.Rxf4 Kg7=] 

22...Qc5+ [22...Qe7±] 

23.Kh1!+- And now f5 would win. 

23...Nxe4 24.Nxe4 Rxe4 

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25.Rg3! Rd4 26.Qe3!  1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 3 – LEKO vs KASIMDZHANOV

This game is from round 3 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Peter Leko with White against Rustam Kasimdzhanov with Black.

Today’s game features a Giucco Piano.

Leko,Peter (2690) - Kasimdzhanov,Rustam (2662)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (3.1), 26.09.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0–0 a6 7.a4 h6 8.Re1 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3 

8...0–0 9.h3 a5 10.Nbd2 White has an edge. 

10...Be6 11.Bb5 Na7 12.d4 Nxb5 13.axb5 exd4 14.Nxd4 Re8 15.Nf1 Bd7 16.Ng3 c6 17.bxc6 Bxc6 18.Qf3 d5 19.e5 aiming for Bxh6. 

19...Ne4 20.Bf4 [20.Nxc6± bxc6 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Rxe4 (22.Qxe4 Qb6±) ] 

20...Qb6 

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21.Qg4 And now Ngf5 would win. 

21...g6 22.Re2 Kh7 [22...a4²] 

23.Nxe4 dxe4 24.Nxc6 Qxc6 25.Bg3 Rad8 26.Rxa5 Rd1+ 27.Kh2 Rb1? [27...Bb6± 28.Ra3 Bc5] 

28.Qxe4 Qxe4 29.Rxe4 b6 30.Ra7 Rd8? [30...Rxb2 31.Rxf7+ Kg8] 

31.b4 White is clearly winning. 

31...Rdd1 

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32.Bh4! Bf8 33.Bf6  1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 2 – ARONIAN vs JUMABAYEV

This game is from round 2 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Levon Aronian with White against Rinat Jumabayev with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian Kan.

Aronian,Levon (2780) - Jumabayev,Rinat (2605)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (2.1), 25.09.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.Qg4 g6 8.Qe2 d6 B42: Sicilian: Kan Variation: 5 Bd3 

9.0–0 [9.a4 Nc6 10.0–0 Ne5 11.Kh1 Nf6 12.Nc3 Bd7 13.f4 Nxd3 14.cxd3 0–0 15.Be3 b5 16.a5 1–0 (48) Aronian,L (2764)-Caruana,F (2816) Paris 2018] 

9...Nd7 10.a4 b6 White is slightly better. 

11.Na3 Bb7 12.Nc4 Qc7 13.a5 b5 14.Nb6! Rb8 15.c4ƒ White has strong initiative. 

15...bxc4 16.Bxc4 

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16...Ngf6N 17.Be3 Nxe4 

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18.Bxa6 [¹18.Nd4!] 

18...Bxa6± 19.Qxa6 0–0 20.Qb5 Rfd8 [20...Nef6²] 

21.Qa4 Nec5 22.Nxc5 dxc5 23.Bf4 Bd6 24.Nxd7 Rxd7 25.Rfd1! Rb4 26.Qxd7 [White should try 26.Bxd6± And now Qxb4 would win. 26...Rxa4 27.Bxc7 Rxa1 28.Rxa1 Rxc7 29.f4] 

26...Qxd7= 27.Bxd6 Ra4! [But not 27...Rxb2? 28.a6+-] 

28.Be5 

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28...Rxa5! 29.Rac1 [29.Rxa5 Qxd1#] 

29...Qe7 

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[29...Qe8µ 30.Bf6 Ra8 31.Rxc5 Qa4] 

30.b4! Ra8 [Black should play 30...Ra6= ; 30...cxb4 31.Rc8+] 

31.bxc5² f6 [31...Qg5² 32.Bd6 Kg7] 

32.Bd6+- White has strong compensation. 

32...Qa7 33.c6 aiming for c7. 

33...Rc8 34.c7 Threatens to win with Bf4. 

34...Kg7? 

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[34...Qa4± was worth a try.] 

35.Bf4! Qa4 36.Be3 Qa5 [36...Qxd1+ was necessary. 37.Rxd1 Rxc7] 

37.Rd7+ Kg8 [¹37...Kf8 38.Rxh7 Kg8] 

38.h3 g5 39.Rb1 [¹39.Bd4] 

39...Qa8? 

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[39...Qxc7 40.Rxc7 Rxc7] 

40.Ba7!  1–0

BATUMI CHESS OLYMPIAD 2018 ROUND 2 – ANAND vs RAGGER

This game is from round 2 of the 2018 Batumi Chess Olympiad. It features Viswanathan Anand with White against Markus Ragger with Black.

Today’s game features a Giucco Piano.

Anand,Viswanathan (2771) - Ragger,Markus (2686)

43rd Olympiad Batumi 2018 Open Batumi (2.1), 25.09.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 0–0 6.Bg5 h6 C54: Giuoco Piano: 4 c3 Nf6, main lines with 5 d4 and 5 d3 

7.Bh4 Be7 8.Nbd2 d6 9.a4 Nh5 10.g3 Nf6 11.Bxf6! Bxf6 12.h4 

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12...Ne7N [12...h5 13.Nh2 g6 14.g4 hxg4 15.Nxg4 Bxh4 1–0 (69) Sethuraman,S (2646)-Inarkiev,E (2689) Riadh 2017] 

13.Nh2 d5 14.Bb3 [14.exd5= Nxd5 15.Ng4] 

14...c6 15.Ng4 Qd6 16.Qf3 Bxg4 17.Qxg4 g6 18.h5 g5 19.Qf3 Bg7 20.g4 Rad8 21.Ke2 a5 22.Rhd1 Rd7 23.Nf1 Rfd8 24.Ne3 Qf6 25.Qxf6 Bxf6 26.Ba2 Bg7 27.b4 axb4 28.cxb4 dxe4 29.dxe4 Rd4 30.b5 Rxd1 31.Nxd1 Bf8 32.Ne3 cxb5 33.axb5 Nc8 34.Bd5 Black must now prevent Ra8. 

34...Nd6 35.b6 Rc8 36.Ra7 Rb8 37.Kd3! Hoping for Nc4. 

37...Nc8 38.Bxb7 Nxb6 [38...Nd6±] 

39.Bd5!+- Rd8 40.Rb7! Nc8 

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41.Rb8! Re8 

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42.Bc6! Bd6 43.Ra8 Rf8 44.Nf5 Threatens to win with Bd5. 

44...Ne7? [44...Bc5 45.Nxh6+ Kh7] 

45.Nxd6 White is clearly winning. 

45...Nxc6 46.Rxf8+ Kxf8 47.Nf5  1–0

COASTAL BOWL PORTUGAL 2018 ROUND 9 – GRIGORE vs LOCHTE

This game is from round 9 of the Coastal Bowl 2018 tournament in Sao Martinho, Portugal. It features George-Gabriel Grigore with White against Thomas Lochte with Black.

Today’s game features a Nimzo-Indian.

Grigore,George-Gabriel (2486) - Lochte,Thomas (2071)

1st Coastal Bowl 2018 Sao Martinho (9), 21.09.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 E35: Nimzo-Indian: Classical: 4...d5 5 cxd5 exd5 

10...Qa5 [10...Nc6 11.Bd3 Nxg3 12.hxg3 d4 13.exd4 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxc5 15.0–0 Be6 16.Rfc1 g4 17.Ne1 0–0–0 18.Be4 Kb8 1/2–1/2 (27) Giri,A (2777)-Karjakin,S (2778) Shamkir 2018] 

11.Be5 0–0 12.Bd3 Nc6 13.Bxe4 Nxe5 14.Bxd5  aiming for Nf3. 

14...Rd8 

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[14...Bf5= keeps the balance. 15.Qxf5 Bxc3+ 16.Kf1 Qb5+ 17.Ne2 Bxb2] 

15.e4N [Better is 15.0–0–0± ; 15.0–0–0 Be6 16.Nge2 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Bxc3 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Nxc3 1–0 (50) Vovk,Y (2549) -Leniart,A (2368) Lvov 2008] 

15...Bf5 [15...Bg4= remains equal.] 

16.0–0–0± Bxc3 [¹16...Qxc5 17.Nge2 (17.Bxb7 Rxd1+ 18.Nxd1 Rd8=) 17...Bg4] 

17.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 18.bxc3 

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18...Rac8? [18...Bg4± keeps fighting.] 

19.exf5+- Rxc5 20.c4 [Don't play 20.Bxb7 Rb8+-] 

20...b5 21.Nf3 bxc4 22.Nxe5 Rcxd5 [¹22...Rdxd5 23.Ng4 Rd3 24.Rxd3 cxd3+ 25.Kd2 Kg7] 

23.Nxc4 1–0