[Event "Bled 2002 Chess Olympiad"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2002.11.04"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Svidler, Peter"]
[Black "Ruck, Robert"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B90"]
[WhiteElo "2690"]
[BlackElo "2572"]
[Annotator ""]
[PlyCount "66"]

Svidler,P (2690) - Ruck,R (2572) [B90]
Bled 2002 Chess Olympiad (9), 04.11.2002

Robert Ruck is an International Master from Hungary. In this game he shows he can play with one of the top players in the world. Ruck finished second in the U18-European Championship in 1994,first in the Hotel Irotto GM tournament in 2000, and first at Kladova 2001 (ahead of the controversial player Alexander Crisian who was recently stripped of his GM title as it was obtained in an unlawful and unethical fashion). I created a 7967 game database for this variation to help me with analysis of this game.

1.e4 c5

Ruck has favored the Sicilian Defense in his career.

2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6

The Najdorf Variation,Ruck's favorite system to employ.

6.f3!?

A System which Ruck has only faced twice in his career.The e-pawn is supported,since White does not have to worry about the king's knight being developed anymore. GM DeFirmian gives this move the !? in Modern Chess Openings 14.

(b) DeFirmian in "Modern Chess openings" states, "safer for Black is to transpose into another variation by playing" 6...e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Be3 or play as Kasparov does with 6...e6, transposing into the English system against the Scheveningen variation of the Sicilian.";

(c) 6...e6 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 Be7 9.0-0-0 0-0 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 b5 12.g5 Nd7 13.h4 Bb7 14.Kb1 Rc8 15.a3 ( 15.g6!? fxg6 ( 15...b4? 16.gxh7+ Kh8 17.Nd5! exd5 18.Bxg7+ Kxg7 19.Rg1+ Socko-Maclejewski,Polish Championship (14), 1997 1-0, 28 moves) ) ]

Returning to the moves played in the game:

7.g4

The only move in my database which defends against the pawn advance g4-g5. [ In my Fritz powerbook the move 7...Nc6 has been tried ie. 7...Nc6 8.Nb3 e6 9.Qe2 and this move tranposes the game back into known theory.]

8.a3N
This move may be a theoretical novelty.It seems to suggest that Svidler is using it to prepare the advance b2-b4 so he can develop his dark-squared bishop.In addition, in the future it will prevent Black from playing the knight manuever ...Nc6-b4. [ The move 8.h4 was played in Strobel-Wolf, Regionalliga NW9900 2000, 21 moves draw.; Fritz 7 suggested 8.Rb1 ie. 8... 8...e5 9.Nf5 Bxf5 10.gxf5 Be7 11.Bc4 Nc6 12.Kf1 Nd4 13.Rg1 Rc8 14.b3 d5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Bxd5 Rxc2 ]

Ruck now played:

8...e5

A common advance in the Najdorf for black,displacing the well placed knight.Now Svidler must decide where to move the knight to...f5 and ...b3 are the two obvious places to move this knight to. [ Fritz 7: 8...Bd7 ]

9.Nf5

Also suggested by Fritz 7 which creates a double attack against Ruck's d-pawn and makes it difficult for Ruck to develop his dark-squared bishop. [ If Svidler had chosen to retreat the knight to b3 play might have continued: 9.Nb3 Be6 10.Qd3 Nbd7 11.Be3 Nc5 12.Nxc5 dxc5 13.0-0-0 Be7=]

Play in the game continued:

9...Bxf5

He gives up the two bishops in order to end the threat against his g-pawn and to faciliate the completion of the development of his minor pieces. [ He could have also played the pawn break ...d5 here ie. 9...d5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Qxd5 Nc6 12.c3 Be6 13.Qd2 g6 14.Ne3 Rd8 15.Qe2 Be7=]

10.gxf5

Developing another minor piece which places him ahead of his opponent in this aspect of the game. [ He also could have developed his bishop here in order to castle ie. 10...Be7 11.h4 Nc6 12.Bd3 ( ‹12.Bc4 Qc5 13.Ba2 Nd4 ) 12...Rd8 13.Qe2 d5 14.Qg2 Bf8=]

The game continued:

11.Bc4

A move also suggested by Fritz 7,developing another piece and aiming it at the vunerable f7-point in Ruck's position. By placing the bishop here he also makes it more difficult for Ruck to play the pawn break ...d5 in the future.

11...Nd4

He improves the position of the knight and attacks both the White f- and c-pawns simultaneously,tieing down Svidler's queen to defend these pawns. [ Fritz 7 preferred to complete minor piece development ie. 11...Be7 12.Kf1 Qd4 13.Qd3 b5 14.Bd5 Qxd3+ 15.cxd3 Rc8=]

The game continued:

12.Nd5

Forcing an exchange of knights unless Ruck wants to spend a tempo to move his queen.

12...Nxd5
[ Fritz suggests that moving the queen was a better idea: 12...Qc5 13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.c3!? Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Qxc4 16.Be3 d5 17.exd5 Rg8=]

Svidler next played the move:

13.Bxd5

Now Svidler's bishop attacks both the f7- and b7-weak spots in Ruck's position. [ Not as promising for White is 13.c3 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 Nf6 15.Qd3 Qc6 16.Be3 Rc8 17.Bb3 Rc7 18.0-0-0 Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Nxe4 And White does not have sufficient compensation for the material.]

Ruck now played:

13...Be7

A move Fritz 7 was also going to play,completing his minor piece development and faciliatating castling.

14.Qd3

Fritz 7 did not like this move. The queen protects the weak White f3-pawn from being captured. [ Fritz 7: 14.h4 Nb5 15.Qe2 Nc7 16.Bb3 d5 17.exd5 0-0-0=]

14...Bg5

He offers the exchange of bishops and threatens 15...Bxc1 16.Rxc1 Qxb2. [ Fritz 7 preferred the move ...Bh4+ to the move ...Bg5 ie. 14...Bh4+ 15.Kd1 ( ‹15.Kf1 Nxf5 16.Kg2 Ne7 17.Be3 Nxd5 18.exd5 Qc7 ) ]

Returning to the moves played in the game:

15.b4

He creates a double attack against Svidler's c-pawn a move Fritz 7 also suggested.

16.c3

He avoids the loss of tempo and instead wins a tempo by attacking the knight. [ Fritz 7 considered the move 16.c4 to be slightly better than 16.c3.If Svidler had played 16.c4 play might have continued: 16.c4 a5 17.f4 Bxf4 18.Bxf4 exf4 19.Rd1 Nc6 20.Bxc6+ Qxc6=]

Ruck's next move was:

16...Nb5
For now avoiding the loss of tempo by creating a discovered double attack against Svidler's c-pawn. [Worse is ‹16...Bxc1 17.Rxc1 g5 18.fxg6 fxg6 19.Rd1 Nc6=]

The game continued:

17.Bb2

[Fritz evaluated a better idea to be 17.c4 >=17.c4 Nc7 18.Ke2 ( ‹18.Bxg5 hxg5 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.Qxd6 f6 21.Rd1 Kf7 22.h3 ) 18...Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.Bxg5 hxg5 21.Rac1 Qe7=]

Returning to the moves played in the game:

17...Bh4+ Winning a tempo.

[ Fritz 7: Worse is ‹17...Nc7 18.Bb3 Bh4+ 19.Kd1 0-0 20.Kc2 Rfd8 21.Rad1 Bg5=]

18.Kd1 [ If instead he had moved the king to d2, play might have continued: 18.Kd2 0-0 19.Kc1 Nc7 20.Bb3 Bg5+ 21.Kb1 Rfd8 22.h4 Bf4 ]

Ruck next played the move:

18...a5

He decides to overprotect his c-pawn.However now his rook,queen and dark-squared bishop are not doing much at all against Ruck's pieces. [ Fritz 7: 19.bxa5 Qa6 20.Rc1 Qxa5 21.c4 Na7 22.f4 Nc6 23.Rg1 Bf6=; Hiarcs 8: 19.Kc2 Nd4+ 20.Kb1 Nc6 21.Ka2 0-0 22.Raf1 a4=; Shredder 6: >=19.Bc4 Nc7 20.Kc2 axb4 21.axb4 0-0 22.Rag1 Rfd8=]

Ruck, for his next move in the game played:

19...Ke7

Ruck makes a major decision,deciding to give up the privilege of castling for the rest of the game and keep his king in the center.By advancing his king in this fashion he connects his rooks. [ Both Fritz 7 and Hiarcs suggested another idea for Black ...Nc7 ie.: 19...Nc7 20.Rc2 ( Hiarcs 8: 20.Bb3 Bg5 21.Rc2 0-0 22.Rg2 Ra8=)

20...Nxd5 21.Qxd5 axb4 22.axb4 0-0 ; Shredder 6 evaluated that Black could play either ...O-O or ..Nc7 as his "best" option: 1) 19...0-0 20.Bc4 Nc7 21.Rc2 d5 22.exd5 Rfd8 23.Kc1 ( ‹23.Rg2?! Nxd5! 24.Bxd5 Rxd5! 25.Qxd5 Rd8 26.Qxd8+ Qxd8+ ) ; Shredder 6: 2) 19...Nc7 20.Bc4 0-0 21.Rc2 d5! 22.exd5 Rfd8 23.Kc1 ( ‹23.Rg2 Nxd5 24.Bxd5 Rxd5 25.Qxd5 Rd8 26.Qxd8+ Qxd8+ 27.Kc2 Qd7 ) 23...Qd6=] ---
Svidler now continued the game by playing:

20.Rc2

Probably trying to open up the a-file.

21.axb4

Svidler is willing to accept a backward c-pawn on the half open file. [Analysis: 21.cxb4 Rxc2 22.Kxc2 Bf2]

Ruck now played:

21...Rhd8

He centralizes his rook,overprotecting his backward d-pawn and placing the rook on the same file as Svidler's queen and king with the possibility of a dangerous pin in the future. [Analysis: Shredder 6, Fritz 7, and Hiarcs 8 preferred to attack the White knight by a small margin over ..Rhd8 ie. 21...Nc7 22.Bb3 ( Fritz 7 and Hiarcs 8: 22.Rg2 Bg5 ( Hiarcs 8: 22...Nxd5 23.Qxd5 Rhg8 24.h3 Rc7 25.Rhg1 Bg5 26.Qd3 ( ‹26.Rf1 Rgc8 27.Qd3 Qa7 28.Rff2 Rc4 ) 26...Rgc8=) 23.h4 Bf6 24.h5 Rhd8 25.Ke2 Nxd5 26.Qxd5 Bg5=) Hiarcs 8: 22...Rhe8 23.Rg2 Kf8 And Black has artificially castled! 24.Rhg1 Bg5 25.Bc1 d5 26.Bxg5 hxg5 27.Bxd5 Nxd5 28.exd5 Ra8=]

Svidler next played the move:

22.Rg2

22...Bg5

The lost tempo.
[Analysis: Hiarcs 8: 22...Rg8 23.Bc4 Nc7 24.Bc1 Ne8 25.Bb3 Qc7 26.Kc2 ; Fritz 7 and Shredder 6: 22...Kf8 23.Ke2 Nc7 24.Rd1 ( Shredder 6: 24.Ba2 Bg5 25.h4 Bf6 26.Rh3 Qc6 27.c4 Qa4 28.Qb3 Ra8 29.Qxa4 Rxa4 30.Bb3 Rxb4 31.f4 Ra8 32.Bc1 exf4 33.Bxf4 Ne8 ) 24...Bg5 25.Kf1 Nxd5 26.Qxd5 Rc5 27.Qd3 ( ‹27.bxc5 dxc5 28.Qxd8+ Bxd8 29.Re2 Bg5 ) 27...Rc7=]

Svidler for his next move played:

23.h4

Forcing the bishop to move to f6.

23...Bf6[]
The only move
[worse is 23...Bf4? 24.Rxg7 Rf8]

Play in the game continued:

24.Ke2 Rd7

Ruck intends to double his rooks on the c-file. [Analysis: Shredder 6: 24...Kf8 25.Kf1 Nc7 26.Bb3 Qc6 27.c4 Qb6 28.b5 Ne8=; Fritz 7: 24...Nc7 25.h5 Nxd5 26.Qxd5 Bg5 27.Rg3 Kf8 ; Hiarcs 8: 24...Rd7 25.h5 Rdc7 26.c4 Nd4+ 27.Bxd4 Qxd4 28.Qxd4 exd4 29.Rd1 Ra8=]

Play in the game continued:

25.Bc4?

[Perhaps better was: >=25.Bb3 Rdc7 26.c4 Nd4+ 27.Bxd4 Qxd4 28.Qxd4 exd4 29.Kd3 h5=]

Ruck now played:

[Worse is ‹26.Qxc3 Rdc7 27.Qe3 Qxe3+ 28.Kxe3 Rxc4 29.Kd3 Rxb4 ]

26...Rdc7!

The only way to continue the attack creating a double attack against his bishop.

27.Rgg1?!

[ (A) According to Shredder 6 better was the move 27.Qe3 however this too also loses as White eventually can reach a position where he is two pawns up: >=27.Qe3 Qxe3+ 28.Kxe3 Rxc4 29.Be1 Ra8 30.Rb2 d5 31.b5 dxe4 32.Bb4+ Ke8 33.fxe4 Ra4 34.Rhb1 Be7 35.Bxe7 Kxe7 36.Kf3 Rxe4 ; (b) Fritz 7 and Hiarcs 8 both considered Svidler's best hope to be the move 27.Rd1 ie. >=27.Rd1 Bxh4 ( Hiarcs 8: >=27...Rxc4 28.Be1 Rd4 29.Bf2 Rxd3 30.Bxb6 Rb3 31.Rd2 Rc1 32.Rh2 Rxb4 Again leaving Ruck two pawns up.) 28.Bd2 Rxc4! 29.Be3 Qxb4 30.Rxg7 Rc2+ 31.Kf1 Bg5 32.Bxg5+ hxg5 Again Black is winning,with a two pawn advantage.]

Returning to tbe moves played in the game,Ruck now played:

27...Rxc4

Winning back his piece and therefore he is a pawn up in material.This move also creates a double attack on Svidler's bishop forcing him to either move the bishop or deend it with his rook or king.

28.Rc1

[Analysis:Worse is 28.Bd2: ‹28.Bd2 Bxh4 29.Be3 ( 29.Rxh4?? Qxg1 ) 29...Rc2+ 30.Kd1 ( ‹30.Qxc2?? Rxc2 +) 30...Qxb4 Leaving black 3 pawns up.]

Returning to the actual moves played in the game, Ruck next played:

28...Qa6

He creates the threat of 29...Rxc3 [ Analysis:Shredder 6: >=28...d5 29.Bd2 Rxc1 30.Rxc1 dxe4 31.fxe4 Rxc1 32.Bxc1 Bxh4 ; Fritz 7: >=28...Kf8 29.Bd2 Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Rxc1 31.Bxc1 Bxh4 32.Bd2 Qf2+ 33.Kd1[] Kg8 34.Kc1 Be7 35.Qb5 b6 Again Black has an advantage of two pawns which spells a victory.]

Going back to the moves in the game, Svidler now made a blunder when he played:

29.Kf2??

Getting out of the pin on the diagonal, however Hiarcs 8 and Fritz 7 suggest this is a blunder. [Better was >=29.Bd2]

For his next move in the game Ruck played:

29...Qc6

Triple attacking the bishop.
[Analysis: Hiarcs 8 and Fritz 7: >=29...Qa3 (threatening ...Rxc3) 30.Rhd1 R8c6 31.h5 ( 31.Kg3 Rxc3 32.Rxc3 Qxc3 33.Qb5 Rc7 34.Qb6 d5 35.exd5 Kf8 36.d6 e4 37.Qf2 Rd7 38.b5 Be5+ 39.Kg2 e3 40.Qe2 Rxd6 41.Rxd6 Bxd6 Again Ruck is up a piece and pawn.) 31...Rxc3 32.Rxc3 Qxc3 33.Qxc3 Rxc3 Which leaves Black in a winning position, a piece and a pawn up in material.]

Svidler now played another move, that being:

30.Bd2

30...Bxh4+

Regaining a two pawn advantage as the bishop cannot be captured.

31.Kg2

[Analysis: Worse is 31.Rxh4? Rxc1 32.Rg4
( ‹32.Bxc1?? Qxc1 33.Kg3 Qe1+ 34.Kg4 Rc3 35.f6+ gxf6 36.Qxc3[] ( ‹36.Kh5 Rxd3 ) ) ]

The next move in the game was:

31...Bg5

Threatening ...Rc2 so Svidler decides he must now exchange on g5.

32.Bxg5+

[Analysis:Worse was >=32.b5 Qxb5 33.Rb1 Qc6 34.Bxg5+ hxg5 35.Qe3 And Black is winning, with a three pawn advantage.]

Play in the game continued:

32...hxg5

33.Rcd1

[Analysis: Fritz 7 and Hiarcs 8: >=33.Rxc4 Qxc4 34.Qe3 Kf6 35.Qd2 ( Hiarcs 8: >=35.Rh5 Qc1 36.Qxc1[] ( ‹36.Qg1 Rc2+ 37.Kh1 Qf4 38.Rh3 Rc1 ) 36...Rxc1 37.Rh8 Rc4 38.Rd8 Ke7 39.Rg8 Rxb4 40.Rxg7 Kf6 41.Rg8 d5 42.exd5 Kxf5 43.Rf8 f6 ) 35...d5 36.exd5 Qb3 Threatening ....Rc2. 37.Qe1 Rc2+ 38.Kg3 Qxd5 39.Qd1 Rd2 40.Qg1 Qc4 41.Qb6+ Kxf5 ]

The game concluded:

Look at the final position:

click for larger view

Black is ♙♙ up, attacks ♕d3 and ♙b4 and treats ..♕c2+ with ♕exchange and winning 3rd♙ on b4.

M Ahn vs T Ruck, 2007