Avrukh Super novelty finally in play

Ponomariov – Wang Yue

Kings Tournament, 21.06.2010

One of Boris Avrukh’s novelties was in play in the Kings Tournament in Romania a few days ago. The opening was a big success, and only at move 37 did White let the win slip.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 g6 5.Nf3 Bg7 6.Be2 0–0 7.0–0 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Nbd7 11.Rd1 e5 12.d5 e4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nb6 15.Rb1

15.Bb3 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 cxd5 17.Rxd5 Qb6 18.Qd3 Rfe8 19.Rb1 Rad8 20.Bd2 Rxd5 21.Qxd5 Rd8 22.Qa5 Qxa5 23.Bxa5 b6 24.Be1?! (24.Bb4 was a better chance. The idea is: 24…Rc8 25.b3 Rc2 26.Rd1! Bf6 27.Rd2 with a winning ending.) 24…Rc8 25.a4 (25.b3) 25…Rc2 26.b4 Bc3 27.Bxc3 Rxc3 28.b5 Rc4 29.Ra1 f5 30.Kf1 Kf7 31.Ke1 Ke6 32.Kd2 h5 33.Kd3 1/2–1/2 Gelfand-Wang Yue, Astrakhan 2010.

15…Re8 16.Qc2!N

Avrukh’s novelty.

16…cxd5 17.Bb5 Re6!?

This was not in GM1, but it seems that Ponomariov has had his own look at it, as he plays all Rybka’s moves. 17…Rf8 and 17…Re7 were Avrukh’s moves in his annotations.

18.Qb3 Qh4 19.Bd2 d4 20.Bf1! Rd8 21.g3 Qe7 22.Bg2²

White is better here. He has the two bishops and Black has little to show for it.

22…Qe8 23.exd4 Bxd4 24.Bc3

Getting rid of the strong bishop on d4. Bg2 is better than Nb6.

I also like Rybka’s suggestion: 24.Bg5 Rd7 25.Bf3, which gives White a pleasant long term pressure. I doubt many players will head this way on purpose with Black.

24…Bxc3 25.Rxd8 Qxd8 26.Qxc3 Qe7

Maybe Black can organise his pieces better here.

27.Rd1 h5 28.b3!±

Good domination of the knight. 28.Bxb7 Na4 29.Qc8+ Kg7 30.b3 Nc5 31.Bf3 h4! was probably what Ponomariov was not certain about. I think White is better, but in practice it looks hard to handle.

28.h4 Na4! disturbs the coordination.

28…h4 29.g4 Rd6 30.Rxd6 Qxd6 31.Bxb7 Nd7

White is a pawn up, but the conversion was not effortlessly conducted.

32.Qc8+ Kg7 33.Qd8 Qe6 34.Kg2 Ne5 35.Qd4!?

Not bad, but 35.Qxh4 Qb6 36.Be4 Qd4 37.f3 won.

35…Qf6 36.b4!?

36.Qxa7 Nd3 37.Qe3 Nf4+ 38.Kg1 and the compensation for the pawns should be insufficient.

36…g5 37.a4??

White needs to take the pawn! 37.Qxa7 Nd3 38.Qe3 Nxb4 39.a4 Nc2 40.Qd2 Nd4 41.Qb2 was one winning line.

37…Ng6! 38.Qxf6+!

Also 38.Qxa7 Nf4+ 39.Kh2 Qc3 40.Qe3 Qc7! would give Black enough counterplay.

38…Kxf6 39.b5 Nf4+ 40.Kf3!

The best chance is activity. 40.Kh2 Ke5 41.a5 Kd6 would also make the draw it seems.

40…Ke5 41.a5 Kd6 42.Ke4 Nxh3 43.Kf5 Nxf2 44.Bf3 Kc7 45.Kxg5 h3

Black makes the draw by a tempo.

46.Kf6 h2 47.g5 h1Q 48.Bxh1 Nxh1 49.Kxf7 Ng3 50.g6 Nh5 51.Ke7 Ng7 52.Kf6 Nh5+ 53.Kg5 Ng7 54.Kf6 Nh5+ 55.Kf7 Kd7 56.Kf8 Kc7 57.Kg8 Nf4 58.g7 Ne6 59.Kf7 Nxg7 60.Kxg7 Kd6 61.Kf6 Kc5 62.b6 axb6 63.axb6 Kxb6 ½–½

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top