The “Snowdrops” consisted of Indian grandmaster Humpy Koneru, 23; Lithuanian grandmaster Viktorija Cmilyte, 27;Philippine born Australian WIM Arianne Caoili, 24; and Czech WIM Tereza Olsarova, 19. The “Oldhands” were Hungary’s Lájoš Portisch, 73; Czech Republic’s Vlastimil Hort, 66; Serbia’s Dragoljub Velimirovic, 68; and Germany’s Wolfgang Uhlmann, 75.
The venue was the Villa Butterfly Hotel in Marienbad and the rate of play was 90 minutes for 40 moves, 30 minutes for the rest, with an increment of 30 seconds per move.
Last year, the Snowdrops led by Koneru edged by a single point the team comprised of Korchnoi, Timman, Huebner and Hort. This time, however, the Snowdrops clinched victory in the penultimate round and won the match 18:14.
Game of the week.According to our annotator, GM Lubosh Kavalek, “Velimirovic, who had opening lines named after him, always thrived on sharp play. For almost four decades, the Serbian grandmaster countered the Alekhine Defense by charging his pawns forward as far and as quickly as they could go. They were like soldiers coming from the trenches in a big wave, huffing and puffing and dying one after another. He played the same way against the Lithuanian grandmaster Viktorija Cmilyte, one of the world’s top women players. When three from the Four Pawn Attack disappeared, Velimirovic used the last one to entomb the black king. Cmilyte refuted his reckless play with marvelous counterpunches and was expected to win. But in situations like that Velimirovic is always dangerous.”
White: D. Velimirovic (2425)
Black: V. Cmilyt (2514)
Alekhine’s Defense
Marienbad 2010
1.e4Nf6 [It doesn’t take much to provoke the Serbian grandmaster. Earlier, Humpy Koneru played the Modern Defense 1…g6 against him and Velimirovic immediately rammed it with 2.h4d53.exd5Qxd54.h5 ]2.e5Nd53.c4Nb64.d4d65.f4 Velimirovic was always fond of the Four Pawn Attack, a messy, chaotic line that suites his style.5…dxe5 [Richard Reti’s 5…g6 is advocated by Tim Taylor in his recent book “Alekhine Alert.”]6.fxe5Nc67.Be3Bf58.Nc3e69.Nf3Be710.d5exd5 [Nearly 40 years ago, Velimirovic encountered the immediate 10…Nb411.Rc1!?f6(After 11…exd512.a3c513.axb4d414.Bxd4cxd415.Nxd4Qb816.Qe2Be617.c5Nd718.Rd1!?Nxe519.Nxe6fxe620.Qh5+g621.Qh3!black is in trouble.) 12.a3Na613.g4! — a deflecting pawn sacrifice — 13…Bxg414.Rg1f515.h3Bxf316.Qxf30-017.Rc2Qd718.Rd2Rae819.d6cxd620.Qh5Rc821.c5Rxc522.Bxc5Nxc523.Rdg2g524.Bb5Qd825.b4Ncd726.exd6Bf627.Ne2Ne528.Nf4Qxd629.Rxg5+Kh830.Qxh7+ 1-0 Velimirovic,D (2490)-Gipslis,A (2580)/Havana 1971]11.Bxb6?! Interestingly, neither Taylor nor Valentin Bogdanov in “Play the Alekhine Defense,” published last year by Gambit Publications, mentioned this move. [The main line is 11.cxd5Nb412.Nd4]11…axb612.cxd5Nb413.Nd4.Bg614.d6?! [Undeniably, Velimirovic’s style —going after the black king. White creates a big mess, hoping that black trips up somewhere. Objectively, it is too sharp.] 14…Bh4+ [14…cxd615.Bb5+Kf816.0-0Kg817.e6 with white’s big advantage.] 15.g3Qg5 [Cmilyte probably got mixed up with the variation 15…0-0 16.a3 Qg5. Hiding the king is a good idea in general, but a great idea against Velimirovic.] 16.d7+? [Velimirovic makes sure the black king stays in the middle, but he could have prevented black’s castling with: 16.Kf2! threatening to win a piece with 17.Nf3 and after 16… 16…Qxe5(16…0-017.Nf3+- ) 17.gxh4(or 17.Qg40-018.Qxh4+/= ) 17…0-0-018.Nf3Qc5+19.Qd4 white has the edge.] 16…Kd817.Kf2Qxe518.gxh4Nd3+! Destroying white’s coordination, the knight leap leads to a winning position for black.19.Bxd3Qxd4+20.Kg2 [White can’t protect the bishop. After 20.Ke2Bh5+ wins. The game is virtually over, but for Velimirovic the fun only begins.]20…Bxd3?! [A psychological slip. Velimirovic feels better with the queens on the board. Exchanging them with 20…Qxd3! wins comfortably, for example 21.Qxd3Bxd322.Rad1Bf5 and the d-pawn is doomed.] 21.Re1h522.Kh1Qd623.Qd2Bc4 [Taking care of the d-pawn with 23…Bf5 was more advisable and better, for example 24.Qg5+Qf625.Qxf6+(25.Qg3Qc6+26.Kg1Qg6 ) 25…gxf626.Nd5Bxd727.Rad1Bc6 and the pin wins it for black.]24.Qg2Qc625.Ne4Bd5 [Computer engines come up with an elaborate, clever defense: 25…Rh6!?26.Qxg7Bd527.Qg5+Kxd728.Rad1Rd6 leading to a winning rook endgame: 29.Rxd5Qxd530.Qxd5Rxd531.Nf6+Kd632.Nxd5Kxd533.Re7Kd634.Rxf7Rxa2-+ ]26.Rad1Bxe4?! [Bringing the rook into play and protecting the bishop with 26…Ra5! left black with good winning chances, for example 27.b4(27.Rd4Bxe428.Rdxe4 (28.Qxe4?Re5-+ ; 28.Rexe4Qc1+29.Qg1Qxg1+30.Kxg1Rxa2-+ ) 28…Kxd729.Qxg7Rd8!30.Rd1+Rd531.Qxf7+Kc832.Rxd5Rxd533.Qe8+Qxe834.Rxe8+Kd7 and the endgame is clearly in black’s favor) 27…Bxe428.Rxe4Rf5-/+ ] 27.Rxe4Ra4?! [One square too far. 27…Ra5!? was still the best choice. It can transpose into previous note after 28.Rde1Kxd729.Qxg7Rd830.Rd1+Rd531.Qxf7+Kc8 etc.; On the other hand, after 27…f528.Qg5+Qf629.Qxh5!g6(29…Rxh5?30.Re8# ) 30.Re8+Rxe831.dxe8Q+Kxe832.Re1+Kf833.Qh6+ white should equalize.] 28.b4! (Keeping the black rook out of play.) 28…b5? [The game slips out of black’s hands. It tends to happen in Velimirovic’s games. When you thought you had him finished, he turned around and escaped. Still, black could have equalized after 28…f5!29.Qg5+Qf630.Qxh5g631.Re8+Rxe832.dxe8Q+Kxe833.Re1+Kf834.Qh6+Kf735.Qh7+Kf836.Qh6+(36.Qxc7Qc6+= ) 36…Kf7= ; Cmilyte perhaps thought she could get away with 28…Rxa2 but white has two ways to refute it: 29.Qg5+(29.b5Qc2 (29…Rxg230.bxc6Ra231.cxb7+- ) 30.Qxc2Rxc231.Ra4Ke732.d8Q+Rxd833.Re4++- ) 29…Qf6(29…f630.Qg6! ) 30.Qe3Qc631.b5+- ] 29.Qg5+ [White also wins after 29.Rde1Kxd730.Qh3+!Kd831.Rd1++- ] 29…Qf6 [After 29…f630.Qg6 threatening 31.Qe8+, wins for white.] 30.Qd5?! [The dance with the queen was unnecessary. White wins immediately with 30.Qe3! ] 30…Qc6 [30…Qd631.Qg5+Qf632.Qe3+- ] 31.Qe5Qe632.Qd4Qd633.Qg1Qc634.Qg5+Qf635.Qe3! The white queen finally lands on the right square, threatening 36.Re8+. 35…Qc636.Kg1Qg6+37.Kf1Qf5+38.Ke1 (Leaving black without good checks.) 38…Qxe439.Qxe4Ra640.Qxb7 and 1-0.
Puzzler.
White: Qa8, Nd5, Bg5, Kh7
Black: Ke5
White to play and mate in three.
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 [email protected].
