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Hikaru Nakamura vs Alexander Goldin
Torneo Continental Americano 2003  ·  Scotch Game: Malaniuk Variation (C45)  ·  0-1


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Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-29-04   Everett: I have not seen this defense to the Scotch.
Oct-22-04   Poisonpawns: Nakamura plays this game scared as white.First 7.Qg4?is a total waste of time.Then following up with 8.Qg3? instead of Bg5.10.Ng7+ is better than bxb6.and after blacks 13...d5? Nakamura could just take the pawn, why this 14.Na3? dxe4 15.Nb5 0-0?= 15... Kd8! and black will be under attack but can eather the storm and win.
Oct-12-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  I3illieJoe: I like Nakamura's style very much but here he played horribly
Oct-12-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  iron maiden: Lines like 4...Bb4+, which enable Black to fight for the initiative from the start, are probably the reason why the Scotch is seldom seen in top-level chess.
Apr-17-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  ianD: Another classic game by Nakamura.

He has quite a collection at such a young age.

Apr-17-07   Skylark: <Poisonpawns> it's ironic because of your name that you should suggest 10. Nxg7+ Kf8, when 11. Nf5 Bxf5 12. exf5 Qxg3! 13. hxg3 Bxe3 14. fxe3 Re8 leaves black with a _very_ pleasant position indeed.

I also definitely prefer black's position after 8. Bg5? Qg6, when white has for some crazy reason forgotten all about the protection of the d4 square (his main plus in this position) in order to attack black's queen. What does 8. Bg5 acheive after .. Qg6? Or did you think black would leave it hanging? Sorry, but I think if you're going to state that a player is making mistakes, first you should check that it is not in fact you who is mistaken.

Following this, you say that after 13. ... d5 Nakamura should just take the pawn? Methinks that black has a massive advantage after 14. exd5? Nxd5 15. f4 (remember there are only so many pieces that can protect that knight on e3, and you just opened up a file in front of it; of course not 15. Nxd5? Qc1+ 16. Kd2 O-O and .. Qxb2+) 15. ... Qe6 16. Kd2 O-O 17. Bc4 Nce7 etc.

I also think that 15. .. Kd8?! is dubious, though not losing like the other lines you gave; however 15. .. O-O is a much stronger line. For example, 15. .. Kd8?! 16. f4! Bd7 17. Bc4 Kc8 18. O-O and black doesn't really have any strong way to continue.

Rather than giving 13. ... d5 a question mark, I would be inclined to give it an exclamation mark. After 15. ... O-O 16. Nxc7 Ra5 17. b4? (17. f4 immediately is much better) the game moves seem incredibly accurate up until 28. .. Qh6?! when black starts to slip up (28. .. Qd8! is much better, when black has a bishop vs knight in an endgame with pawns on each wing, not to mention an extra pawn and safer king; but unlike in the game, he also has the d-file. That and black's pawn weaknesses on e5, g2 and a2 make up for black's isolated doubled pawns on the b-file.)

Even so, the position should still be won for black. However, he begins to slip up with 30. .. h6?! (30. .. Rc8 saves a tempo), then 35. .. g5? (35. .. b6 followed by Kh8 was still a good position for black) was awful, and almost throws away all black's winning chances.

However, on move 39 black had .. Rd1! which was far better than the lemon .. Rd3? played in the game; for example: 40. Qa8+ Kg7 41. Qe4 Bd5 42. Qe3 Qh1 43. Kc3 Rb1 and I should think it would be very hard for white to get a draw from this position. However, after 39. .. Rd3 40. Qe4 Rb3+?, white might yet have later saved the game with 45. Re3! when the resulting endgame would require a lot of accuracy from black to win (but then again, a lot of accuracy in the defense as well).

After 45. Qe4, 45. .. Bg4?! allows again 46. Re3! with a very hard position for white to crack. therefore 45. .. Bd5! was much stronger and black should win. Still in the game, after 46. Re1?! h5! would have been better than 46. .. Rc3?! 47. Re3! and for the third time white is presented with a way to escape with a parole. Instead he elects to play the blunder 47. Rf1??

An interesting game to analyse, at least.

Apr-17-07   Skylark: Although I agree with <Poisonpawns> in that 7. Qg4? is a waste of time and seemingly an opening mistake in an unfamiliar position.

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