COASTAL BOWL PORTUGAL 2018 ROUND 8 – PITSCHKA vs GRIGORE

This game is from round 8 of the Coastal Bowl 2018 tournament in Sao Martinho, Portugal. It features Claus Pitschka with White against George-Gabriel Grigore with Black.

Today’s game features a Trompowsky Attack.

Pitschka,Claus (2262) - Grigore,George-Gabriel (2486)

1st Coastal Bowl 2018 Sao Martinho (8), 20.09.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.Bf4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 Bg7 5.h4 c6 [5...h5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be2 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 c6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 b5 11.Kb1 1/2–1/2 (34) Aronian, L (2797)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2793) Caleta 2018] 

6.Be2 A45: Trompowsky Attack 

6...h5 7.Nf3 

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7...Ng4N [7...Qb6 8.a3 Bg4 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 Ne4 11.Nxe4 dxe4 1–0 (77) Nyzhnyk,I (2605)-Sevian,S (2624) Philadelphia 2018] 

8.Ne5 [White should try 8.Qd2= ] 

8...Nxe5³ 9.Bxe5 Bxe5 10.dxe5 Bf5 11.Bd3 Nd7 12.f4 Qb6 13.Qd2 Nc5 14.0–0–0 [¹14.Bxf5 gxf5 15.0–0–0] 

14...0–0–0 [14...Nxd3+µ 15.cxd3 d4 16.exd4 Qxd4] 

15.Be2 f6 16.exf6 exf6 17.Bf3 Rhe8 18.Qd4 Ne6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.Rde1! Nc5 21.Rhg1 Re6 22.g4 hxg4 23.Bxg4 Bxg4 24.Rxg4 

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24...d4 Strongly threatening ...f5. 

25.Nd1 f5!ƒ Black is more active. 

26.Rgg1 Rde8 27.Kd2 Ne4+ 

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28.Kd3 [28.Kc1µ] 

28...dxe3!–+ 29.Rxe3 Rd8+ 30.Kc4? [30.Ke2 was the crucial defense.] 

30...b5+ 31.Kb4 Rd4+ 32.Ka3 b4+  0–1

SAN MIGUEL 2018 ROUND 7 – GONZALEZ GUEDES vs CUEVAS FERNANDEZ

This game is from round 7 of the San Miguel 2018 tournament. It features Iyan Gonzalez Guedes with White against Jose Alberto Cuevas Fernandez with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian.

Gonzalez Guedes,Iyan (1927) - Cuevas Fernandez,Jose Alberto (2173)

XXIV San Miguel 2018 Trevias (7), 23.09.2018

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.dxc5 Qa5 5.Nf3 Qxc5 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.Be3 B27: Sicilian: 2 Nf3, unusual Black 2nd moves [7.0–0 d6 8.Be3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Nc6 10.Bh6 0–0 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.h3 Bd7 13.Rae1 Rac8 14.a3 Rfd8 15.Qe3 0–1 (30) Bruchmann, S (2309)-Berebora,F (2427) Germany 2012] 

7...Qa5 8.0–0 Nc6 9.h3 0–0 10.Qd2 d6 11.Rad1 Bd7 

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12.Nd4N [12.Nh2 Rac8 13.f4 Rfd8 14.g4 d5 0–1 (40) Fernandez,E-Flores Alvarez,R Santiago de Chile 1961] 

12...Rac8 13.f4 Rfd8 [13...Nxd4= 14.Bxd4 b6] 

14.Qf2 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 

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15...Qb4? [15...Bc6±] 1

6.a3+- Qxb2 17.Nd5 Nxe4 18.Bxe4  1–0

SAN MIGUEL 2018 ROUND 6 – CUEVAS FERNANDEZ vs ALVAREZ FERNANDEZ

This game is from round 6 of the San Miguel 2018 tournament. It features Jose Alberto Cuevas Fernandez with White against Enrique Alvarez Fernandez with Black.

Today’s game features an English Opening.

Cuevas Fernandez,Jose Alberto (2173) - Alvarez Fernandez,Enrique (2303)

XXIV San Miguel 2018 Trevias (6), 22.09.2018

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.Qc2 Nf6 4.Nf3 Qe7 5.a3 [5.g3 e4 6.Nd4 0–0 7.Bg2 Qc5 8.a3 Qxd4 9.axb4 Qxc4 10.b3 Qe6 11.Nxe4 Nc6 12.Nxf6+ Qxf6 1/2–1/2 (60) Oparin,G (2609)-Inarkiev,E (2690) Satka 2018] 

5...Bxc3! 

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6.bxc3N A21: English Opening: 1...e5 2 Nc3 [6.Qxc3= d6 7.d3; 6.Qxc3 e4 7.Nd4 d5 8.cxd5 0–0 9.b4 Nxd5 10.Qb3 Rd8 11.Bb2 c5 12.bxc5 Na6 0–1 (41) Thuesen,M (2229)-Hector,J (2509) Copenhagen 2013] 

6...d6 [6...e4!³ 7.Nd4 d6] 

7.e4= 0–0 8.h3 The position is equal. 

8...Nh5 9.g4 Nf4 10.d3 c6 [10...Ng6µ] 

11.Nd4 d5 12.Nf5 [12.cxd5³ cxd5 13.Bxf4] 

12...Bxf5µ 13.gxf5 dxe4 14.dxe4 Nd7 15.Rg1 Nc5 16.Rg4 g5 [16...h5–+ 17.Rg3 b6] 

17.h4 

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Strongly threatening f6. 

17...h6 18.Be3 f6 19.Rd1 Rad8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.Be2 [21.Rg1µ] 

21...Kf7 [21...Ncd3+–+ has better winning chances. 22.Bxd3 Nxd3+ 23.Ke2 Nf4+ 24.Bxf4 exf4] 

22.Qb1 [¹22.Rg1] 

22...b6 

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23.Kf1 [23.Rg1µ] 

23...Qd6 [23...Qd7!–+ is more deadly. ...Nxe4! is the strong threat. 24.Bxf4 exf4] 

24.Rg3? [24.Rg1µ] 

24...Nxe2–+ 25.Kxe2  0–1

SAN MIGUEL 2018 ROUND 5 – PEREZ NUNEZ vs MARTINEZ RIESGO

This game is from round 5 of the San Miguel 2018 tournament. It features Saul Perez Nunes with White against Jesus Martinez Riesgo with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian Kan.

Perez Nunez,Saul (2182) - Martinez Riesgo,Jesus (1912)

XXIV San Miguel 2018 Trevias (5), 21.09.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6 3.Nf3 b5 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb7 6.Bd3 e6 7.0–0 Bb4 B43: Sicilian: Kan Variation: 5 Nc3 [7...Nc6= 8.Nxc6 Bxc6; 7...Qc7 8.Re1 Bc5 9.Be3 d6 10.Bxb5+ axb5 11.Ndxb5 Qc6 12.Bxc5 dxc5 13.Nd6+ Ke7 14.Nf5+ Ke8 15.Nxg7+ Kf8 16.Nh5 0–1 (66) Delgado Ramirez,N (2622)-Bachmann,A (2627) Asuncion 2017] 

8.Bd2 

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8...Nf6N [8...Bd6²; 8...Ne7 9.Ncxb5 Bc5 10.b4 Bxb4 11.Bxb4 axb5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nxb5 0–0 0–1 (49) Plaza Agudo,J-Rodriguez Azcarate,D Xirivella 1992] 

9.e5 Bxc3 White is better. 

10.Bxc3 Nd5 11.Bd2 Qh4 12.Nf3ƒ White is in control. 

12...Qh5 13.a4 b4 14.Ng5 

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14...Qh4? [14...Qxd1± is tougher. 15.Rfxd1 (15.Raxd1 a5±) 15...Nc6] 

15.Qf3 White is clearly winning. 

15...f5 [¹15...0–0 16.g3 Qh6 17.Bxh7+ Kh8] 

16.exf6+- gxf6 17.g3 1–0

SAN MIGUEL 2018 ROUND 3 – PEREZ NUNEZ vs CLEMENTE LLAMERO

This game is from round 3 of the San Miguel 2018 tournament. It features Saul Perez Nunes with White against Roberto Clemente Llamero with Black.

Today’s game features a Sicilian.

Perez Nunez,Saul (2182) - Clemente Llamero,Roberto (2086)

XXIV San Miguel 2018 Trevias (3), 19.09.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2 Ne7 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 Nc6 B30: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5, lines without ...g6 

8.0–0 Be7 [8...a6 9.d3 d5 10.exd5 exd5 11.Bb3 Bd6 12.Nf4 Bxf4 13.Bxf4 0–0 14.Qf3 Be6 15.Rfe1 1–0 (58) Cornette,M (2611) -Lenic,L (2662) chess.com INT 2018] 

9.d3 0–0 10.Bb3 d6 11.f4 

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11...Bd7N [11...b5 12.f5 Bg5 13.Ng3 exf5 14.exf5 Ne5 15.Bd5 1–0 (32) Kerek,K (2325)-Farkas,T (2289) Hungary 2008] 

12.f5 Bf6 13.Nf4 exf5 14.exf5 Be5 [14...Ne7²] 

15.Qg4 [15.Qh5±] 

15...Ne7!= 

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16.Nh5ƒ aiming for Bg5. White has some pressure. 

16...g6? [16...Nxf5!= and Black has nothing to worry. 17.Bg5 (17.Rxf5 g6=) 17...Ne3] 

17.Bg5!+- 

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17...Bxf5? [17...gxh5 was worth a try. 18.Qh4 Nxf5 19.Rxf5 Bxf5 20.Bxd8 Raxd8 21.Qxh5 Bg6] 

18.Rxf5! gxf5 [18...Nxf5 19.Bxd8] 

19.Qh4 Qa5? [19...Ng6] 

20.Bxe7 White is clearly winning. 

20...Qd2 21.Nf6+ Bxf6 22.Bxf6 Threatening mate with Qg3+. 

22...Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Re1 would kill now. 

23...Rae8 24.Bxd4  1–0

SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 8 – ASIS GARGATAGLI vs CUENCA JIMENEZ

This game is from round 8 of the Spanish Championship 2018 tournament. It features Hipolito Asis Gargatagli with White against Jose Fernando Cuenca Jimenez with Black.

Today’s game features a Scotch Game.

Asis Gargatagli,Hipolito (2515) - Cuenca Jimenez,Jose Fernando (2506)

83rd ESP-ch Women-ch 2018 Linares (8), 27.08.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bc4 0–0 8.0–0 b6 9.Qd2 C45: Scotch Game [9.Nc2 Ne5 10.Be2 Bb7 11.f4 N5g6 12.e5 Qe6 13.b4 Bxe3+ 14.Nxe3 Nh4 15.Bg4 f5 16.Be2 Kh8 0–1 (34) Kasparov,G (2812)-Caruana,F (2795) Saint Louis 2016] 

9...Qg6 10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.Bxc5 The position is equal. 

11...bxc5 12.Na3 Rb8 13.f3 d6 14.Rae1 Ne5 15.Be2 

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15...f5N [15...Qf6 16.f4 Ng6 1–0 (66) Huschenbeth,N (2596)-Salomon,J (2476) Douglas 2017] 

16.Nc4 Nf7 17.Bd3 fxe4 18.Bxe4 Qf6 19.Ne3 Be6 20.Qc2 g6 21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Rfe8 23.Qa4 Re5 [23...Re7²] 

24.Bb3ƒ White is really pushing. [Much less strong is 24.Qxa7 Rxb2 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7=] 

24...Re7 25.Re4 Kg7 26.Qxa7 Rbe8 27.Qa4 Rd8 [27...Qg5± keeps fighting. 28.h3 Nh6] 

28.Rfe1+- Rxe4 29.Qxe4 Rd7 30.Qe8 Rd8 31.Qe7 d5 Black hopes to continue with ...c4. 

32.Qxc5 c6 33.Qa7 Rd6 34.Qe3 Nd8 35.Qa7+ Nf7 36.c4 Qxb2 37.cxd5 cxd5 38.Qc5 Rd7 39.h3 

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39...d4? [39...Nh6 40.Qc6 Qd4+ 41.Kh1 Qa7 42.Bxd5 Nf5] 

40.Re7 White is clearly winning. 

40...Rxe7 41.Qxe7 Qc1+ 42.Kf2 Qd2+ 43.Kg3 Qg5+ 44.Qxg5 Nxg5 45.h4  1–0

SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 4 – CARRETERO ORTIZ vs VEGA GUTIERREZ

This game is from round 4 of the Spanish Championship 2018 tournament. It features Francisco Carretero Ortiz with White against Sabrina Neide Vega Gutierrez with Black.

Today’s game features a Closed Sicilian.

Carretero Ortiz,Francisco (2241) - Vega Gutierrez,Sabrina Neide (2390)

83rd ESP-ch Women-ch 2018 Linares (4), 23.08.2018

1.e4 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Ne2 e5 5.Nbc3 d6 6.d3 Be7 7.f4 B24: Closed Sicilian: 3 g3 sidelines [7.0–0 Nd4 8.h3 Bd7 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Ne2 Rc8 11.c3 dxc3 12.Nxc3 0–0 13.Be3 a6 14.d4 b5 15.a3 1/2–1/2 (45) Perez Candelario,M (2569)-Vachier Lagrave,M (2722) Linares 2013] 

7...exf4 8.Bxf4 Bg4 

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9.Qd2 White is slightly better. 

9...Qd7N [9...0–0 10.0–0 Qd7 0–1 (58) Haecker,S (2064) -Petrenko,S (2265) Germany 2010] 

10.h3 Be6 11.g4 h6 12.d4 d5 13.0–0–0 0–0–0 [13...Rd8²] 

14.dxc5 [Better is 14.Qe1!± ] 

14...d4!² 15.Nb5 [15.Bh2²] 

15...Bxc5= 16.b4 Bc4 17.bxc5 Bxb5 18.Bd6 Bxe2! 19.Qxe2 aiming for e5. 

19...Qe6! 20.Rd3 Qxa2 21.Rb3 Hoping for Rxb7! 

21...Na5 22.Rb2 Qa1+ 23.Rb1 Qa3+ 24.Kd1 Ne8 [24...Qa2= 25.Qb5 d3] 

25.e5± And now Qb5 would win. 

25...Nxd6 26.cxd6 Black must now prevent Qb5. 

26...Rd7 

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27.Qb5 [27.Be4!±] 

27...Qc3 [27...a6= keeps the balance. 28.Qb6 Kb8 29.Qxa6 (29.Qxd4 Rc8³) 29...Qc3] 

28.Be4 [28.Rf1± Rf3 is the strong threat. 28...Nc4 29.Bxb7+ Kd8 30.Rf2] 

28...Nc4= 

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29.Rh2 [29.Qb4!= Kb8 30.Re1] 

29...Na3!‚ Black wants a kill. 

30.Qa4? [30.Qxd7+µ Kxd7 31.Rxb7+ Kc8 32.Rxa7] 

30...Nxb1–+ Black is clearly winning. 

31.Qxa7 Qa3 32.Qxd4 Nc3+  0–1