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Fabiano Caruana vs Constantin Lupulescu
European Championship (2008), Plovdiv BUL, rd 11, May-02
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer. Neo-Modern Variation (B67)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-14-08  Whitehat1963: Here's the model for what we'll play against GM Nickel.
Sep-15-08  Gilmoy: 17.Qe1 <What's the point? To meet d5 with e5? To prepare h4 by preventing Ng3?>

19.Rg2 <Ugh -- White gets a double on d, but invites the uber-outpost Nf4 -- after 21..e5 he'll never get that N out ...>

26.Qa5 Rcd8 <White's double on d is cancelled out by Black's same. So the difference boils down to Bc1 vs. Nf4. Black won that duel by three huge tempi. Which looks suspiciously like the 3 tempi White spent on 15.Ne2 16.Nd4 18.Nxc6+ ...>

39.Bc4? <Black's Plan B was to re-park Nf4 and squeeze. But Plan A intrudes as a simple tactical shot to trade down to ...>

42..Qxe3 <... a 3-2 K-side majority, and still three tempi ahead.>

White's Q spent much of the game scampering along the e1-a5 diagonal, to little effect. Its Bf1 never got into the game. I don't think you're going to hyp-mo-tize GM Nickel into Qe1 ...

Sep-15-08  whiteshark: <Whitehat1963> Do you have Lupulescu? I hope this disease is not contagious! :Dj/k
Sep-15-08  acirce: It's not Lupulescu. It's never Lupulescu.
Sep-15-08  Whitehat1963: Fortunately, I've been spared that particular horror!
Sep-17-08  Whitehat1963: Why not 15. Qxd6?
Sep-17-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: 15. Qxd6!? Qxd6 16. Rxd6 Ng3 17. Rg1 Nxf1 18. Rxf1 Rxh2 and Black has the endgame edge.

Excellent thematic play by Black: equalize out of the opening, safeguard the King, establish a powerful Nf4, get in 21 ... e5 & then 25 ... d5, centralize the Rooks, and trade down to the better endgame. 44 ... e4! was a nice Pawn sacrifice which works because the White King is outside the Square: 45. Qxe4? Qxe4 46. fxe4 f3 wins. The game went 45. fxe4 f3 and White's Queen was tied to the Queening Square at f1. Great game.

Sep-17-08  Whitehat1963: <and Black has the endgame edge.>

In what way, B v N? Is that the only edge?

Sep-19-08  whiteshark: <tpstar: <15. Qxd6!? Qxd6 16. Rxd6 Ng3 17. Rg1 Nxf1 18. Rxf1 Rxh2 and Black has the endgame edge.>>


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<Whitehat1963> General considerations:

White's d-file offers no objective.
Black is going to play Ke7 and Rah8
pawns on both wings favours the ♗ side
♘c3 is a kind of nonmotile --> ♗c6
Black's pawn majority is on the ♔less wing.
♗f3/♙e4 looks immobile and weak, too.

All in all I'd agree with <tpstar>.

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