Ilia Smirin vs Asaf Givon (2012)

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Ilia Smirin vs Asaf Givon
European Club Cup (2012), Eilat ISR, rd 5, Oct-15
Alekhine Defense: Modern. Larsen Variation (B04) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 2 times; par: 156 [what's this?]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 2 OF 4 · Later Kibitzing>
Oct-25-12		Razgriz: 47. Ba5. After that Black won't be able to get to the queening square. However even if white gets the queen, he still needs to play solid chess since he'll lose everything else but the queen and the h pawn.

Oct-25-12		Djoker: I guess 47.Ba5 should be refuted by Kc6. 48.a7 Na8 49.Nb8+ Kb7 50.Bxd8 Kxa7 and whites is up a piece. But no queen for now.

Oct-25-12		agb2002: The material is equal. Black threatens 47... Nxd7. The first idea that comes to mind is 47.Bd4 attacking the defender of the promotion square a8. However, after 47... Na8 (47... Nxd7 48.a7 + -; 47... Kc6 48.Nxb6 Bxb6 49.a7 Kb7 50.Bxb6 + -) White doesn't look to have made much progress. The other attacking option, 47.Ba5, seems to be much better because the bishop also pins the knight: A) 47... Nxd7 48.a7 Bxa5 (48... Nb6 49.Bxb6 + -) 49.a8=Q+ Kxe5 50.Qxa5+ + -. B) 47... Na8 48.Bxd8 + -. C) 47... Kc6 48.a7 C.1) 48... Kb7 49.Bxb6 Bxb6 50.Nxb6 Kxa7 51.Nc8+ Kb8 51.Nd6 f6 52.e6 + -. C.2) 48... Kxd7 49.Bxb6 + -. C.3) 48... Na8 49.Nb8+ Kb7 50.Bxd8 Kxa7 51.Nc6+ Kb7 52.Nd4 + -.

Oct-25-12		morfishine: <47.Ba5> overloads the Black Knight threatening 48.a7 Thought Black's best chance was <47...Kc6>: But after <48.a7 Kb7> White wins two pieces: (a) 49.Nxb6 Kxa7 50.Nc8+ Ka6 51.Bxd8 (or 50...Kb7 51.Nd6+ followed by 52.Bxd8 Less good, winning "only" a piece is: (b) 49.a8=Q+ Nxa8 50.Bxd8 or 49...Kxa8 50.Nxb6+ (I didn't seriously consider that Black would play 47...Nxd7 allowing the pawn to Queen. Also, I didn't imagine the game dragging out another 30-moves)

Oct-25-12		solskytz: Probably not the best place to write about it, but hey - I'm not a Premium member and don't have my forum... I just had the honor of meeting for the first time, and playing, the Life Master from Florida (FLchessplayer) in chess.com. I was excited! We had a few exchanges in the past, and then he blocked me - and suddenly he's there, with a shiny "LM" title, waiting to play me. And 110 points higher... The time control was 3 0, the opening, a 2. c3 sicilian. I don't always play that, but sometimes I do. Sometimes I get crushed, but there are traps and pitfalls - which Goldsby expertly sidestepped. One of the crucial points of this opening, is that white gets quite easily a 3:2 pawn majority on the Q-side. This can prove beneficial for him in an eventual endgame, and so he's very happy to play around with his pieces in the center, posting knights and bishops on d4, sometimes on e5, going for exchanges, which hasten his strategical aim. I thought that maybe AJ didn't know all that, as he was not averse to exchanges, and soon a rook ending was reached. "Exchange that last rook, Mr. Goldsby, please" I thought... and he moved it a way, irritatingly. Still, I had my majority and started to centralize my pieces - kind and rook. AJ blockaded all advances from me, created counter play on the other side, and suddenly had a protected passed pawn on e4! Oh my! The tables had turned! What will I do now? Now after an exchange, with my isolated passer on the b-file, I will just be lost - he will simply pick it up with his king and then beat me! I've been doing some endgame training on chesstempo lately - very recommended! And I could really see the benefits in this game, which was undoubtedly going to become a defeat at the hands of the experienced master... but in some way or another, suddenly my king found its way to his side of the board! The hell with the e-pawn, he seemed to say... Goldsby didn't waste a moment! He invaded my queenside with his rook, advanced his king and started to guide his own passer home. I did a chesstempo move, which I wouldn't do before in this kind of position, and put my rook on b4, right behind the pawn. I thought he had a sea of checks and at least a draw - but Goldsby saw more, and understood that he won't get far by checking. He kept advancing the pawn - and not only I've won the race (I was afraid that he'll find a way to sacrifice his rook for my passer and win with his extra K-side pawns, which I'll be powerless to stop), I also came out a fresh, unexchangable queen ahead! Goldsby didn't manage to promote his pawn, and in the last possible minute (with a rook on my home base, protected by his almost-arrived passer, and challenging my own rook on the same rank - a familiar situation for losing players!) succumbed to a series of well thought-out checks by my new queen, at the end decisively adding another challenger to his queening square - the queen. At this point Goldsby tried to flag and confuse me by quick moves, tricky moves etc. - but to no avail. I just had too much time and was too cool in my head. Now I knew I was winning, and so it was. Here's the game - for good or for worse (where was I lost? I never looked - some people say that you don't analyze blitz) [Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2012.10.25"] [Round "?"] [White "solskytz"] [Black "FLchessplayer"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "1854"] [BlackElo "1950"] [TimeControl "3\|0"] [Termination "solskytz won by resignation"] 1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.d4 Bg4 6.Be2 e6 7.Na3 O-O-O 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Bxd1 Bxc5 10.Nc2 Nf6 11.O-O h6 12.Be3 Be7 13.Ncd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Kb8 15.h3 Bh5 16.Ne5 Bxd1 17.Raxd1 Rhf8 18.Nc4 g6 19.Be5+ Ka8 20.f3 h5 21.Kf2 Nd5 22.Ne3 Bc5 23.Bd4 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 Nxe3 25.Kxe3 Rxd4 26.Kxd4 Kb8 27.Rf2 Rd8+ 28.Ke3 Kc7 29.Rd2 Rb8 30.Ke4 f6 31.Rd4 b5 32.b3 Kc6 33.a3 a6 34.c4 Rb7 35.cxb5+ Rxb5 36.b4 a5 37.Rc4+ Kd6 38.g3 e5 39.f4 f5+ 40.Ke3 e4 41. Rd4+ Ke6 42.Rc4 axb4 43.axb4 Rb6 44.Kd4 Rd6+ 45.Kc5 Rd5+ 46.Kc6 Rd3 47.b5 Rxg3 48.Rb4 Rc3+ 49.Kb7 e3 50.b6 Kd5 51.Rb1 Kd4 52.Ka8 Ra3+ 53.Kb8 Kd3 54. b7 e2 55.Kc8 Rc3+ 56.Kd7 Ke3 57.b8=Q Rd3+ 58.Ke6 Rd1 59.Qb6+ Kf3 60.Qb3+ Kxf4 61.Rxd1 exd1=Q 62.Qxd1 g5 63.Qd4+ Kg3 64.Kxf5 g4 65.hxg4 h4 66.g5 h3 67.Qg1+ Kh4 68.g6 h2 69.Qh1 Kg3 70.g7 Kf2 71.g8=Q 1-0

Oct-25-12		mike1: hmmm, all good... but I think that black does not defend well! 57..h6 is wrong. After 57...g6 i will be difficult for white to get around it.

Oct-25-12		JG27Pyth: I accepted draw. ;) Truth be told minor pieces vs. Queen endings give me fits (from either side). I'd much rather admire the technique here than try to emulate it.

Oct-25-12		solskytz: And now that I do look at it, missing these mates-in-one at the end is kind of funny - but really, with seconds on my clock, and the lag... I was just scared to lose on time! So I did the only thing I was sure of - blockade his pawn and get a second queen. Actually I didn't believe that he would resign - that was a surprise.

Oct-25-12		Lykos: Ba5 OK, but what after Na8 ?

Oct-25-12		Oxspawn: Some positions you look at and can do straightaway (Monday). Some you you can do with a bit of thought (Tuesday). Some you can wrestle with (Wednesday). And some you take one look and know it is hopeless. That reminded me it was Thursday. If I'd been in this game I would have resigned... whichever side I had been playing. It was fun to play through however.

Oct-25-12		Abdel Irada: <Oxspawn>: If we ever meet in a tournament, remind me to play for a minor-piece ending. ;-)

Oct-25-12		paulalbert: Seeing that Ba5 was the start, not too difficult: Winning the endgame in all variations not so easy, at least for me, but GM Smirin's K on the white squares nicely penetrates his opponent's attempt at a fortress and his P on h5 strategically controlling the g6 square and it's all over for black's K. Interesting and instructive game!

Oct-25-12		Once: <Abdel Irada> That's exactly the point. Henry V won the battle of Azincourt but could not win his war against the French. Although he tried to paint it as a great victory (and seen in isolation it certainly was), his army soon had to retreat back to England. He never did succeed in becoming the King of France. Azincourt is more accurately an example of the folly of attacking in a poor position. Henry was over-optimistic in invading France in the first place. And the French nobles who charged the English lines were highly over-optimistic about their chances of success. And, whilst it's a nice story, there is no evidence to suggest that the French did cut off the fingers of captured bowmen, or that the V sign was used much before 1901. It's more likely to be an example of popular etymology. Or another instance of an over-optimistic attack. Of course, the modern version is to halve the number of digits in the salute. But I prefer to hold out a hand as a sign of peace. No-one ever wins a protracted war.

Oct-25-12		chrisowen: Tagged and bagged picking his moment when to strike bishop in such miracle 47.ba5 now on with the body count i see saw either in promote a8 pawn first instinct braving giving kc6 or bet inxd7 both allow ground for tanking the little a6 home for instance: 47.ba5 kc6 48.a7 na8 49.nb8+ king will penetrate ya light can keep his minor pieces on board and mop up kingside 49...Kb7 50.Bxd8 Kxa7 here nd7 will win as railing back the three kingside pawns will it not prove mundane difficulty. 47.ba5 Nxd7 48.a7 Nxe5+ king is away it hope in providing a fortress yet a8 is on the cards and theres nothing he can do to stop a7 reaching back rank 49.ke2 bxa5 50.a8q+ now the rest is a technicality white should be able to gain one or two kingside pawns and invade the king i forsee landing h5 bf6 pawns at h6 and g7 and knight posted in d4 black will eventually reach in a zugzwang position where he has no good moves left.

Oct-25-12		James D Flynn: Material is equal but the advanced White h pawn will obviously dominate the immediate action of both sides. Black threatens both Nxd7 and Kc6. Let’s see if those threats are real or allow the a pawn to advance. Firstly 47.a7 Na8(forced else ) 48.Bd4(else Bb6 and the a pawn falls) Kc6 and the a pawn will fall, however it isn’t clear that White will not be able to win the K-side pawns in the absence of the Black K. 49.Ke4 Kb7(not Bb6 when 50.Bxb6 Kxb6 51.Kd5 Kxa7 52.Kd6 g5 53.Ke7 h5 54.Kxf7 Nc7 and the White e pawn cannot queen without the N taking it and the Black g pawn queens.. Next try 47.Ba5 Threatening to win a piece on b6 and if the N moves Bxd8 If Black defends the N on b6 by Kc6 48.a7 and White wins a piece for his a pawn after either Na8 49 .Bxd8 or Kb7 49.Bxb6 Bxb6 40.Nxb6 Kxa7 41.Nc8+ Kb8 42.Nd6 and the f pawn falls after which the e pawn will promote before the Black g pawn: Kc7 43.e6 the Black K cannot now approach the e pawn except by the circuitous route of c6 and d5 but once K is on d5 e7 promotes. In the meantime the White K can join the fray by defending the e pawn from e4 and either guiding the e pawn home from d5 or winning the 2 Black K-side pawns by Kf5. Therefore Black must answer 47.Ba5 by Nxd7 but again 48.a7 Nb6 49.Bxb6 Bxb6 50.a8=Q+ is clearly hopeless for Black and equally hopeless is 48……Bxa5 49.a8=Q+ and 50.Qxa5 and 48…..Nxe5+ 49. Ke2 (not Ke3 Nc4+ and 50…..Nb6 or Kc3 when Bxa5+ will enable Black to fight on with 2 pieces and a pawn on g5 protected by a B on a4 ) Nc6 50.a8+Q Bxa5 51.Qg8 and the Q wins the K-side pawns and escorts the White a pawn to victory.

Oct-25-12		James D Flynn: I had clearly underestimated Blacks chances of hanqing on with 2 pieces and his g pawn. My Q g8 is certainly no better than Smirins Qb7. The final position is a beautiful ZugZang: White wins by 76...Kh8(other moves lose a piece 77.Kf8 now Nb3 or Nb5 don't drop the piece next move butn after Qd5 mate by Qg8 is unavoidable except by dropping a piece.

Oct-25-12		doubledrooks: I went with 47. Ba5. For example: a. 47...Nxd7 48. a7 and the pawn queens b. 47...Kc6 48. a7 Na8 49. Nb8+ Kb7 50. Bxd8 Kxa7

Oct-25-12		kevin86: I saw the first move,but not beyond it.White was able to push a pawn through to a8. Queen vs two pieces is a win,but not an easy one despite the bishop and knight combination being the weakest in the ending.

Oct-25-12		bachbeet: I thought the move was to immediately push the pawn to a7. I'm still convinced that is a better move.

Oct-25-12		Marmot PFL: Found 47 Ba5 pin and thought, either whire promotes or just wins a piece. Black probably resigns about now. Instead he manages to last another 28 moves, until White forces the zugzwang.

Oct-25-12		Sastre: <bachbeet: I thought the move was to immediately push the pawn to a7> 47.a7 Na8 =.

Oct-25-12		David2009: Smirin vs A Givon, 2012 White 47? I am coming to this problem very late. White has a promotion tactic: 47.Ba5 Nxe7 48.a7 Nxe5+ 49.Ke2 BXa5 50.a8=Q+ Nc6 51.Qg8 wins decisive material (I think). 47.Bd4 does not work because Black has Na8! blockading the passed Pawn. Time to check: ==== I got enough of it: some excellent kibitzes have explored variations I didn't consider. Let's hand the puzzle position click for larger view over to Crafty End Game Trainer: http://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-t... The robot defends as in the game until it reaches click for larger view when it plays 58...Ke7 instead of 58...Kc5. With computer assistance the position can be won but it is interesting to try to win without. Enjoy exploring the possibilities!

Oct-25-12		eaglewing: At move 62 there was the possibility for Black to play g6 followed soon by h5 and Nf5. It will be difficult to hold but it should be a draw.

Oct-25-12		Jambow: Well the first 4 moves seemed obvious enough pin the knight then if black takes d7 white loses his knight but the a pawn queens. About the second path I glanced at. Mind is sharp as I'm really seeing this stuff quickly for some reason, probably wont remember where I parked my car when I leave work, err wait I'm on my motorcylce never mind ;0]

Oct-25-12		Moonwalker: Solved by process of elimination! Only three candidate moves are available: Nxb6, a7 and Ba5. The first is responded to by Bxb6 and the pawn is stuck again, the second is thwarted by Na8 (not Nxd7 a8=Q+) So 47.Ba5 it is. Pins the knight to the bishop and allows the pawn to eventually queen (or white is material up). Black put up a heck of a fight!

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