Varuzhan Akobian vs Wesley So (2019)

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Varuzhan Akobian vs Wesley So
US Championship (2019), St Louis, MO USA, rd 3, Mar-22
Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange Variation (D85) · 1/2-1/2

White to move.

ANALYSIS [x]

1/2-1/2

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

FEN COPIED

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 2 OF 2 · Later Kibitzing>
Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: 11...Bg4 prepares the manoeuvre ...Nb8-d7-e5

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: Perhaps So plans to smash White's centre by ...f5

Mar-22-19		BOSTER: Interesting idea to sacr the queen with d5x Nc6 Rxd2 c6xb7 Bxb7 Bxd2.But who plays this when big mpney on stake?

Mar-22-19		BOSTER: The diagonal a2-g8 is to open.

Mar-22-19		BOSTER: Pawn d5 should be blocked.

Mar-22-19		Gypsy: <BOSTER: Pawn d5 should be blocked.> Oh, just take it. :-)

Mar-22-19		Boomie: Nice theoretical struggle. Are the two bishops worth the pawn weaknesses? The computer slightly favors white. But my spidey sense suspects that black is winning. The computers aren't as useful in the endgame.

Mar-22-19		Gypsy: If you ever need a pigeon-hole problem for elementary combinatorics class: Assume that White has 5 isolated pawns. Prove that White has doubled pawns.

Mar-22-19		offramp: <Gypsy: If you ever need a pigeon-hole problem for elementary combinatorics class: Assume that White has 5 isolated pawns. Prove that White has doubled pawns.> It would be better to have a secondary question which begins "On an imaginary infinite chessboard, assume that white has l i m x → ∞ x-3 isolated pawns..."

Mar-22-19		Gypsy: <offramp> Secondary question for extra credit. I like that.

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: White has the bishop pair and his queen's bishop attacks the a7 pawn. Black's knight is placed well and so may be able then to reduce at least the value of White's bishop pair. White's pawns are smashed. Black's rook appears to be able to develop more quickly than White's rook appears to be able to develop quickly. White's king may have a lead in development over Black's king. White's pawns control the centre better than Black's. If all of these things can be made to count and if other things are equal Black has a considerable advantage. However White has advanced his h pawn so Black can't make that count and then Black has no more than a minimal advantage. If White plays Bd4 Black can't make the weakness of c3 count either and then it is actually White who has a minimal advantage.

Mar-22-19		BOSTER: If white open h file, two bishops will play like black has no any pawns near the king.

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: Perhaps 24 Bb3+ is premature because White can't combine it with Bc5+, as Black's rook covers that square. Instead of this Bd4 keeps c3 covered and perhaps the right move is 24 hxg6, removing one weakness before doing anything else.

Mar-22-19		offramp: I knew Bb3+ was no good. The bishop should be on e2!So White has wasted a lot of time.

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: One justification for 26 Bc1 preparing Ba3+ is that with White's king on e2 Black can't play ...Nd3 and attack the bishop. However on 26 Bc1 the N can go to d7 instead and on 27 Ba3+ Nc5 obstructs the bishop and places the knight on a good post as well.

Mar-22-19		ChessHigherCat: Wesley isn't taking this game seriously. When he starts playing with himself, he becomes So-So.

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: 26 Rd1 prevents the manoeuvre ...Ne5-d7-c5 and on 26...Rxc3? 27 Bd2 skewers the rook to the b4 square. Then on 27...Rc8 28 Bb4+ Ke8 White's bishops and rook are all in play. On 26 Rd1 better alternatives to 26...Rxc3 seem to be 26...Ke7 or 26...Rc7 supporting the manoeuvre ...Ne5-d7-c5

Mar-22-19		Gypsy: This is a draw (unless So scribbles)

Mar-22-19		devere: Wild game going on between Shankland and Xiong!

Mar-22-19		offramp: I think they have stopped.

Mar-22-19		thegoodanarchist: I prefer White's position now. Hard to find a good move for Black

Mar-22-19		BOSTER: Maybe to move white king from the pin is classical idea.

Mar-22-19		Ulhumbrus: Has the display stopped working? Quite a number of moves have been played after 27...Re8.

Mar-22-19		HeMateMe: Isn't f4 forced, to not lose material?

Mar-22-19		ChessHigherCat: Since the knight doesn't have any good discovered checks, Bf4 is okay (and FishStick say it be the best move on de whooooooooooooooole board!

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