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Milos Pavlovic vs Fabiano Caruana
Aeroflot Open (2008), Moscow RUS, rd 2, Feb-15
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation. Pin Defense (D12)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-16-08  notyetagm: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...

What a magnificent example by Caruana of <EVALUATE FORCING MOVES LIKE A COMPUTER!>.

<30.Red1?


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30...Nxe3+ 31.fxe3 Ng3+ 32.Kg1 Qxe3+ 33.Qf2 Ne2+ 34.Kf1 Ng3+ 35.Kg1 Ne2+ 36.Kf1 Qxf2+ 37.Kxf2 Bg3+ 38.Kf1 Nxd4 0-1.>


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Feb-16-08  notyetagm: Position after 29 ... ♕d7-e7


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What a beautiful position to have as Black. The <CENTRALIZED> Black d5- and e4-knights together with the <SWINGING> Black f5-rook leave a strong impression. Outstanding positional play by Caruana (Black) to obtain this position.

And then after the blunder 30 ♖e1-d1?, all of the well-placed Black pieces spring into life with the <DESTRUCTIVE SACRIFICE> 30 ... ♘d5xe3+!.

Position after 30 ♖e1-d1? ♘d5xe3+!


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This is my ideal of how a game of chess should be played, <POSITIONAL PLAY> and <TACTICS> going hand-in-hand.

Feb-16-08  notyetagm: Black to play: 30 ... ?


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30 ... ♘d5xe3+! 31 f2xe3


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Notice how the <DESTRUCTIVE SACRIFICE> 30 ... ♘d5xe3+! 31 f2xe3 has -greatly- weakened both the <SQUARES> and <LINES> around the White f1-king:

1) the g3-square is now undefended, allowing 31 ... ♘e4-g3+, 37 ... ♗b8-g3+

2) the e3-square is now undefended, allowing 32 ... ♕e7xe3+

3) the e1-h4 diagonal has been weakened, allowing 37 ... ♗b8-g3+

4) the f-file has been half-opened, creating the <PINNING CHAIN> Black f5-rook + White f3-knight + White f1-king

So in exchange for his sacrificed knight, Black's 30 ... ♘d5xe3+! gives him tremendous compensation in the form of the profound weaknesses created around the White f1-king.

It is no wonder that Black is able to use these weaknesses to win material and force immediate resignation.

Feb-16-08  notyetagm: This magnificent Black win by Caruana is an excellent advertisment for the Slav Defense (Queen's Gambit Declined Slav (D11)).
Feb-16-08  Gilmoy: Actually, it's much simpler than that. White's Ba5 is hanging. 28..Rf5 "attacked" it, 30.Red1? didn't defend it. 30..Nxe3+ wins a pawn (via Rxa5).

All the rest (2nd pawn + exchange) was just a bunch of zwickenzugs :)

Feb-16-08  HOTDOG: perhaps before 30.Red1? White was slightly better
Feb-16-08  notyetagm: <Gilmoy: Actually, it's much simpler than that. White's Ba5 is hanging. 28..Rf5 "attacked" it, 30.Red1? didn't defend it. 30..Nxe3+ wins a pawn (via Rxa5). All the rest (2nd pawn + exchange) was just a bunch of zwickenzugs :)>

Yes, but all those <ZWISCHENZUG> were made possible only by the many weaknesses that were created by the <DESTRUCTIVE SACRIFICE> that I pointed out above.

Feb-16-08  notyetagm: 11 ♗c1-d2 is the Novelty according to the chessgames.com database: Opening Explorer.
Feb-16-08  Gilmoy: Nxe3+ was destructive, but not a "sacrifice". It's just a trade (of N for B). We've all punished a newbie's Nh4 with Nxe4, Nxe4 Qxh4 a pawn up.

From the repetitions, it seems like even Caruana hadn't worked out the line in entirety yet, and was making it up as he went :)

Feb-16-08  notyetagm: <Gilmoy: Nxe3+ was destructive, but not a "sacrifice". It's just a trade (of N for B). We've all punished a newbie's Nh4 with Nxe4, Nxe4 Qxh4 a pawn up.>

True.

Feb-16-08  notyetagm: <Gilmoy: ... From the repetitions, it seems like even Caruana hadn't worked out the line in entirety yet, and was making it up as he went :)>

Yes, think of all the time that Caruana wasted moving his pieces back and forth, back and forth. He should have been thinking about his time! Very poor time managament by Caruana, mindlessly repeating those moves.

:-)

Feb-16-08  ruelas007: Or maybe he was repeating to be closer to the 40th move?
Feb-17-08  Atking: It seems that <notyetagm> has found another chess young talent. Yeah I hope too that Caruana will be soon on the 2700 club!
Feb-17-08  mindkontrolle: nice Caruana!!!!!!!

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