African Chess Magazine March 2014 | Page 4

A reccuring ideaS- Watu Kobese

Gelfand, B. - Adams, Mi

Alekhine Mem, Paris/St Petersburg FRA/RUS

2013.04.23, 1-0, Opening: D37

1. d4 ♘f6 2. c4 e6 3. ♘f3 d5 4. ♘c3

♘bd7 5. ♗f4 dxc4 6. e3 ♘d5 7. ♗xc4

♘xf4 8. exf4 ♘b6 9. ♗b3 ♗d6 10. g3

♗d7 11. O-O O-O 12. ♕d3 ♗c6

13. ♖ad1 ♕f6 14. ♘g5 g6 15. ♘ge4

♕f5 16. d5 exd5 17. ♘xd5 ♘xd5

18. ♗xd5 ♗xd5 19. ♕xd5 ♕xd5

20. ♖xd5 ♖fd8 21. ♖c1 ♖ac8

22. ♖c3 ♗e7 23. ♖xd8+ ♗xd8 24. f5

♔g7??

[24... c6 would have been better.The idea is

to defend actively with the rook and

bishop.This will be made possible by

placing the bishop on b6, targeting the f2

pawn. 25. ♖d3 ♗b6 26. ♖d7 ♖d8

27. ♖xb7 ♖d1+ 28. ♔g2 gxf5 29. ♘g5

♖d2 with an easy draw.]

25. ♘d6 ♖b8 26. ♘e8+ ♔f8 27. fxg6!

hxg6

[27... ♔xe8 28. g7]

28. ♘xc7 ♗f6 Gelfand must now find the

winning plan.This is the stage where many

players, myself included,go wrong.It is clear

that black will use the bishop and rook for

activity.The pawns on b2 and f2 will be the

obvious targets as the black rook will reach

the second rank.Gelfand now uses the same

idea from the Karpov game.I would not be

suprised if this is infact the game he thought

about at this stage.The knight will be placed

on d3,liberating the king and rook .

4 African Chess Magazine