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Hikaru Nakamura Flashback
Alexander Stripunsky, vs. Hikaru Nakamura
Marshall Chess Club 2 / 19 / 1998 Here is a game that grabbed national attention for Hikaru
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 Nc6 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Nf6 8. Be2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Nd2 I don ' t know whether Hikaru was familiar with the previous tries in this position, which were played long before he was born! 10... Be6. 10... Re8 11. Re1 Bd7( 11... h6 12. h3 Bd6 13. Bf1 a6 14. Rc1 was agreed drawn in a game between Vlastimil Hort and World Champion Anatoly Karpov, at Tilburg 1977.) 12. h3 Ne4 13. Nxc6 Bxc6 14. Nxe4 dxe4 gave Bolack a good game in Mueller vs. Paehtz, from the 1974 East German Championship in Potsdam.
11. N2b3 11. Qc2 Rc8 12. N2f3 Ne4 13. Rad1 was a bit better for White in Hausmann vs. Heymann, Halle( Germany) 1993 11... Qd7 12. Re1 Rfd8 Black has protected the isolated pawn with three pieces. White cannot increase the pressure enough, so he captures the bishop at e6.
13. Nxe6 fxe6 14. Bg5 e5 15. Bf1 h6 16. Bh4 a6 17. Qc2 Rac8 18. Rad1 b5 Black ' s position has a few holes. White clearly has the better game, since Black is reduced to passive defense. 19. Qg6 Qe6 20. Rd3 Qf7 The kingside attack is repulsed, but at the cost of going into an endgame where Black ' s pawns are weak. 21. Qf5 Ne8 22. Qxf7 + Kxf7 23. Bxe7 Kxe7 Black ' s position is a little suspect. There are three groups of pawns, known as pawn islands, compared to two for White. In general, the fewer islands, the better. The pawns are under attack from rooks on open files, and White can infiltrate with Nc5. All in all, a tough defense awaits Black. 24. Nc5 Ra8 25. h4 Nf6 26. f3 g5 27. hxg5 hxg5 28. Rde3 Re8 29. b4 Kd6 30. Rd1 a5!? The best practical chance. Black ' s position is under pressure and only by opening up lines can Hikaru get into the game. Understanding that his rooks are inactive, he gives up the pawn at b5 to open up the a-file. 31. Bxb5 axb4 32. cxb4 Rxa2! The point. Not 32... Nxb4 33. Nb7 + Kc7 34. Bxe8 Rxe8 35. Rc3 + Kxb7 36. Rb1 and Black is the exchange down.
33. Rc3 Wrong move order! 33. Nb7 +! would have won material. 33... Kc7 34. Rc3 Re6 35. Na5 piles on the pin, and Black would have been forced to play 35... Rxa5 36. bxa5 d4 37. Rxc6 + Rxc6 38. Bxc6 Kxc6 39. Rb1 Black would go down to defeat. 33... Nd4 Because White played Rc3 before Nf7, Black has time to react and climb back into the game. 34. Nb7 + Ke6 Hikaru ' s bold play reaps its rewards. The rook on e8 is hanging, but if the bishop takes it, then the Black knight jumps to e2, forking the king and rook, and creating additional threats. White can ' t easily avoid losing material. 35. Rxd4 35. Bxe8 Ne2 + 36. Kh2 Nxc3 37. Rc1 Nxe8 38. Rxc3 d4 is a horrid endgame for White.; 35. Nc5 + Kf5 36. Bxe8 Ne2 + 37. Kh2 Nxc3 38. Rd3 Nxe8 39. Rxc3 d4 is not much of an improvement. 35... exd4 36. Rc6 + Ke5 Black ' s king is in the middle of the board but it is in no danger. 37. Nc5!? 37. Rxf6 Kxf6 38. Bxe8 wins material but the d- pawn flies. 38... d3 39. Bb5 d2 40. Be2 allows Black to win the bishop by promoting the pawn and pinning along the first rank, but picking off the b-pawn first is even stronger. 40... Rb2 41. Nc5 Rxb4 42. Kf2 Rb1 43. Ke3 d1 = Q 44. Bxd1 Rxd1 45. Nd3 Ke6 should win for Black in the long run..
37... Re7 White is in serious trouble. 38. Nd3 + 38. g4!? would have allowed Black to infiltrate. 38... Kf4!! 39. Rxf6 + Kg3 and the White king is doomed. 40. Re6 Ra1 + 41. Bf1 Rh7 with mate in four, the immediate threat being... Rh1 + and... Rxf1. 38... Kf5 39. Nc1 This is a very awkward defense. It allows Hikaru to make the most of the rooks.
39... Re1 +! 40. Kh2 Ra1 41. Ne2 Rh1 + 42. Kg3 Nh5 + White resigned, because of [...] 43. Kf2 Rhf1 #