Chess Strategy

This game was played earlier today in Jermuk Grand Prix. I was impressed with Leko’s positional play and I will provide quick annotations in order to highlight the most important moments.

Ivan Cheparinov - Peter Leko
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 c6 8. e4 d5 9. Bd3 dxc4 10. bxc4 e5!
This is probably one of the new topical lines in the Queen’s Indian defence, but I don’t know how the theory goes or whether e5 was played before. That fine move immobilizes White’s massive center and highlights the bad coordination. White cannot take on e5 (11. dxe5 loses Bd3, while 11. Nxe5 drops d4-pawn).

11. Ne2 Nbd7
Black is not hurrying to take on d4 because at the moment White cannot do anything to prevent it. 12. dxe5 runs into the zwischenzug Nc5.

12. Qc2 O-O 13. O-O Qc7 14. h3
I am not sure why was this move necessary. Cheparinov probably wanted to take g4-square under control and prevent some future Ng4. But with hindsight, this allowed Black to win an important tempo later on.

14…Rad8 15. dxe5
It was probably the best time to perform this exchange, otherwise Black would have taken on d4 after which White pieces lined on the d-file are sort of hanging in the air.

15…Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 17. Bc3 Qh5 18. e5 Nd7 19. Nf4 Qh6 20. Rfd1 Bg5!
Now it becomes obvious that h3 is troublesome and White’s kinside is shaky.

21. Bf5 Nc5 22. Ng2 Bc8!
It looked like White managed to cover everything and stay in the game. Grabbing the pawn with 22…Bxc4 would probably turn out wrong after 23. Bb4! and White recaptures on c5. The isolated pawn on c4 is a long term weakness and there is no need to allow White to exchange it. Black decides to trade some pieces instead and continue with a slightly better endgame.

23. Bxc8 Rxc8 24. Qf5 Qg6
A possible Rd6 might have been unpleasant and White Queen also keeps a contact with Bg5, so it was a good idea to offer an exchange and reduce White’s potential for future counterplay.

25. Qxg6 hxg6 26. Bb4 Be7 27. Kf1 Rfe8!
A sensible move which anticipates the movement of Be7 and attack on e5-pawn.

28. Ne1 a5 29. Bxc5
White would love to keep his long-ranged Bishop, but this exchange was almost forced as Black Knight can be extremely dangerous. For example, after 29. Bc3, Black can place a Rook on d8 and then continue with Ne4 and Bc5 with a very strong pressure on White position.

29…Bxc5 30. Nd3 Bd4 31. Rab1 Rb8 32. f4 g5! 33. Nf2 Be3!
A series of precise moves undermined e5-pawn and allowed Black to open another file for his Rooks.

34. fxg5 Rxe5 35. h4 Rf5!
Leko is already anticipating a Rook ending with a threatening pawn majority on the queenside.

36. Rb2 b5!
No need to rush, White is still tied up! Black can use this tempo to advance his pawn.

37. cxb5 cxb5 38. Kg2 Rxf2+ 39. Rxf2 Bxf2 40. Kxf2 b4
And finally we have a pure Rook endgame. The material is equal but White’s huge problem is that Black can create a passed pawn. Then, he won’t be able to both contain the passer and defend the poorly structured pawns on the kingside. Enjoy watching Leko’s execution.

41. Ke3 a4 42. Rb1 Kh7 43. Kd2 Kg6 44. Rf1 Rd8+ 45. Kc2 Rc8+ 46. Kb1 Rc4 47. Rf2 Rg4 48. Rf3 Re4 49. Rf2 Re1+ 50. Kb2 Rg1 51. Rf4 Rxg3 52. Rxb4 a3+ 53. Kc2 Kh5 54. Rf4 g6 55. Ra4 Rh3 56. Kd2 Rxh4 57. Rxa3 Rh2+ 58. Ke1 Kxg5 0-1