CHESS
tion is leaking profusely.
27...Nxb4! 28. Rxe5 Nec6
28... Bxa2! 29. Bxb4 Bxb1 30.
Bxd6 a2
29. Rxb5 Bxa2 30. Qd1 Ra7 31.
Qa1 Be6 32. Bxb4 Nxb4 33. Qxd4
Qxd4 34. Nxd4 a2 35. Ra1 Nxd3
36. Bf1 Rc1 37. Nc2 Bg7 38. e5
Bxe5 39. Rxc1 Bxh2+ 40. Kxh2
Nxc1 41. Na1 Nb3
0-1
White: Ilya Krasik
Black: John Funderburg
National Open, Round 3
[E11] Bogo-Indian Defense
By far the cleanest and quickest
victory at the National Open. I
spent about 45 minutes on the clock
but in truth I probably could have
played all my moves in under 10
minutes. Winning quickly was
nice, because the South Point Hotel
and Casino sported a luxurious
swimming pool and a huge jacuzzi.
1. d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4.
Bd2 Qe7 5. g3 Ne4?! 6. Bg2 Nc6
7. O-O Bxd2 8. Nbxd2 Nxd2
9. Qxd2 d6 10. d5!+/- Nd8
10... Nb8 11. dxe6 fxe6 12. c5!?
with an advantage in development
and the initiative.
11. Rac1 e5 12. c5! O-O 13. Rc3
f5!? 14. Rfc1 Nf7 15. cxd6 cxd6
16. Rc7 Qd8 17. Qc3
Black is paralyzed.
17... Re8 18. Nd2
My plan is to come to a5. (18.
Bh3!? Ng5 19. Nxg5 Qxg5 20. e4)
18... g6 19. Nb3 Qg5 20. Na5 e4
21. h4 Qg4?
21... Qd8 was the only move
22. Qf6+22. Nc4
22... Rf8 23. Re7 g5 24.Rcc7 Qh5
25. Nc4!
A picturesque illustration of
HORIZONS
White's domination. Black resigns
because of 25...Qg6; 26.Qxg6+ and
27. Nxd6 — Jacuzzi time.
1-0
White: Benjamin Marmont
Black: Ilya Krasik
National Open, Round 4
[B42] Sicilian Kan
After scoring a relatively easy
3/3 and occupying the top board for
my section since round 2, I was
feeling quite content. However, in
round 4 it was almost as if a different player showed up. Disaster was
close as I tightroped through a difficult position. I offered the draw
when the worst was over, and my
opponent to my surprise accepted.
Afterwards I showed him many ways
he could have broken through. In
analysis he appeared weak and unsure.
I couldn't believe I drew him, but
then again I was close to the edge
and all in all had to be quite content
with the result.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4.
Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Bc5 6. Nb3 Be7 7.
O-O Nc6
7... d6 8. Qg4 g6 (8...Bf6)
8. Qg4 Bf6 9. Nc3 d6 10. f4 Qc7
11. Bd2 Nge7 12. Rae1 e5?!
12... Ng6 13. Qh5 (13. e5 dxe5
14. f5) 13... O-O?! 14. e5! dxe5 15.
Ne4 with an attack.
13. f5 Bd7 14. a3?
14. Bg5 h5! 15. Qh4 and Black's
position is very unpleasant (15. Qg3
h4 16. Qg4 h3 17. g3 Bxg5 18. Qxg5)
14... g6?
Just plainly stupid, since if I
ever take on f5 his knight will come
to e4 with devastating effect. I realized this sad reality as soon as I
moved. Why does this happen?!
(14... O-O 15. Bh6 (15. Bg5))
15. Qf3 g5
At least, admitting my stupidity.
16. Kh1?
I mostly feared 16. Qh5
16...h5 17. Qf2 b5
Played with a heavy heart as it
loosens light squares on the queenside, especially c6. But, on the
other hand, I wanted to pretend that
I had something active to do, a
good strategy against a somewhat
weaker player in anticipation of a
draw offer. (17... O-O-O 18. Be3 +-)
18. Nd5
Correct.
18... Nxd5 19. exd5 Ne7
Here I began to think that I was
toast again. White just needs to
open lines with a timely c4... I felt
as if someone had loaded a gun and
pointed it at me. I closed my eyes
but the gun never fired.
20. Be4
20. Ba5! Qb7 21. Nd2! Nxd5 22.
Ne4 Qc6 (22... Ke7 23. c4) 23. c4+20... Rb8 21. Na5 Qb6 22. Qe2
22. Qxb6 Rxb6 23. c4 +/22... Rc8 23. b4 Kf8 24. Be3 Qb8
25. Rc1 Kg7+/Here I offered a draw, which was
accepted. Had I been White there is
no chance I would have accepted it.
1/2-1/2
To be continued in the JulySeptember issue.
NM Ilya Krasik is offering
private or group lessons.
Contact info: 978-394-4100 cell
or [email protected]
“Only the player with
the initiative has the right
to attack”
— Wilhelm Steinitz
APRIL-JUNE 2010
21