The Petroff Defense offers attacking opportunities for both sides and a few lines are quite sharp, but nowadays, it has a reputation of being dull and uninspired. In the hands of an expert like Karpov and Kramnik, it is almost a fool-proof drawing weapon.
Last year, at the elite Dortmund tourney, Latvian-German GM Arkadij Naiditsch essayed an exceptionally strong move, 19.Qd2!, in a quiet variation of the Petroff against former world champ Vladimir Kramnik.
Chess Informant editor Milan Bjelajac said Kramnik “was, no doubt, very surprised and responded with the dubious 19…Ng6?! However, analysis by Naiditsch…as well as the game Smirnov-Neelotpal, Pardubice, shows that the correct continuation for Black was to accept the rook sacrifice with an unclear position that offers mutual chances for both sides.”
Game of the week. Here then is partie chosen by a panel of grandmasters as the most important novelty of Chess Informant 103. The winner annotates.
White: A. Naiditsch (2624)
Black: V. Kramnik (2788)
Petroff Defense
Dortmund 2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Ne5 d6 4.Nf3 Ne4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Bg4 9.c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 Bf3 11.Qf3 Nd4 12.Qd1 Ne6 13.cd5 Nd5 14.Bb5 c6 15.Nd5 cb5 16.Bf4 Nf4 17.Re7 Kf8 18.Re5 Qd6 19.Qd2! [a novelty; 19.Rf5 Rd8 20.Ne3 Qd1 21.Rd1 Rd1 22.Nd1 Ne6 23.Rb5 b6 equal] Ng6?! [19…Ne6 20.Rae1 with attack; 19…Qe5 20.Qb4 Ke8 21.Qb5 (21.Re1?! Ne2 22.Kf1 Rc8! 23.f4 Qd5 24.Re2 Kd7 25.Rd2 Rc5 and Black is slightly better) Kd8 (21…Kf8 22.Qc5 and White is winning) 22.Rd1 Ne2 23.Kh1 Nd4 24.Qb7 Rc8 (24…Rb8 25.Qa7 with attack) 25.h3! unclear] 20.Ree1 f6 [20…Rd8 21.Rad1 with the idea 21…Ne7 22.Qe3 Nd5 23.Rd5 Qd5 24.Qe7 Kg8 25.Qe8 and White is winning] 21.Rad1 [21.Qd3!? Rd8 (21…Re8 22.Re8 Ke8 23.Qb5 Qc6 24.Qb3 and White is superior) 22.Qb3! Rd7 (22…Ne5 23.Rad1 Qc5 24.Nf4 and White is winning; 22…Qd5 23.Rad1 Qb3 24.Rd8 Kf7 25.Rd7 Kf8 26.ab3 and White is winning) 23.Rad1 Qc6 24.Nb4 Rd1 25.Rd1 Qc4 26.Qe3 Qb4 27.Rd8 Kf7 28.Rd7 Ne7 29.a3 Rd8 30.Rd8 Qb2 31.Rd1 and White is superior] Kf7 22.Qe3! Rhe8 [22…Rhd8 23.Ne7] 23.Ne7! Qe7 24.Qb3 Kf8 25.Re7 Re7 26.Qb5 (and White is winning) Rae8 27.g3 Ne5 28.Kg2 Nc6 29.b4 a6 30.Qb6 h6 31.a4 Ne5 32.Qc5 Kg8 33.b5 ab5 34.ab5 Nf7 35.h4 Kh8 36.Rd2 Kg8 37.Kh3 Kh8 38.f4! Kg8 39.h5 Kh8 40.Qf5 Nd8 41.Rd7 Ne6 42.Qd5 and Black resigns.
Puzzler. Jack Sablan gets it right: 1. Ne5! any move and the white queen’s rook or knight mates. Way to go Jack!
For this week, check this out:
White — Ka4, Ba6, Nb8, Nc6, Qc1, pawns on e3 and h4
Black — Kd5, Nd6, Rf7, Bh7, Rh3, pawns on b3, c4, c7, d4, e6 and f3
White to play and mate in four.
Send your answers to “64” c/o Marianas Variety, P.O. Box 500231, Saipan MP 96950. Our fax no. is 670-234-9271. You can also e-mail idlasts @lycos.com or [email protected].
