AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST
By Boris Gulko And Gabriel Schoenfeld
The New York Sun
June 30, 2006 Friday
The world chess Olympiade has just concluded in Torino, Italy,
with an unusual finish. One of the smallest countries in the
world–Armenia–walked away with the gold medals. One of the largest
countries, the People’s Republic of China,took the silver. The U.S.
also one of the giants beat one of the mighty midgets, Israel, on a
tie-break to win the bronze. The pre-start favorite of the tournament,
Russia, a former giant, was reduced to sharing places six through
ten. The most valuable player on the Armenian team was its leader,
Levon Aronian. Here we see him crushing David Navara, the leader of
the Czech team.
ARONIAN VS. NAVARA (white) (black) Queen’s Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.Bd2 f5 8.Qc2
This quiet move does not promise an opening advantage to white. The
main lines of this variation are developed in the line 8.d5!? Bf6
9.Qc2 Qe7 10.Rd1. 8… Bf6 Black could obtain a safe position by
playing 8…Nxc3!? 9.Bxc3 Be4 10.Qd2 Bf6. 9.Ne5!? Again white could
steer this game down the main theoretical trail by playing 9.d5.
Aronian probably anticipated that his opponent had prepared a novelty,
so he sought to deviate. 9… d5?! It was better to keep the position
closed via 9…Nd6!? 10.Bxb7 Nxb7 planning 11…c5. 10.cxd5 Nxc3?!
(See diagram)
Black overlooks an extraordinary danger. Better was 10…exd5 11.Rc1
c6 12.Nxe4 fxe4 (white is better after 12…dxe4?! 13.Qb3 Qe7 14.f4
exf3 15.exf3! Bxe5 16.dxe5) 13.f3 and the position of white is
preferable. 11.Nf7! A sublime combination. A piece is sacrificed not
for a pawn but for possession of a pivotal square. 11… Qd7? This
move loses. The only defense was 11…Qc8! 12.Nxh8 (in the case of
12.Bxc3 Kxf7 13.dxe6+ Kxe6 14.d5+ Kf7 15.Bxf6 Kxf6 and white has an
attack but it does not fully compensate for the sacrificed knight. )
A) probably more stubborn 12…Bxd5! 13.Bxd5 Nxd5 14.e4 fxe4 15.Qxe4
g6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Bg5! (in case of 17.Qxg6+ Kd7 18.Qf7+ Be7 19.Bg5
Qa6! black’s counterplay danger ous.) 17…Kf7 18.Bxf6 Kxf6 19.h4
with the initiative in white’s hands; B) 12…Nxd5?! 13.e4 Ne7
14.Bc3! g6 15.d5 e5 16.f4 Nd7 17.fxe5 Nxe5 18.0-0 Bxh8 19.exf5 gxf5
20.Rae1 with strong pressure by white. And of course, bad for black
is 11…Kxf7 12.dxe6+ 12.Bxc3! The knight continues to hang on to
its perch on f7. Bad for white was 12.Nxh8? Nxd5. 12… Bxd5 Black
has nothing better. 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.e4! Perhaps on making his 11th
move, Navara overlooked this. Now white obtains a decisive material
advantage. 14… fxe4 15.Nxh8 Nc6 16.0-0 Ke7 17.Rae1 Rxh8 18.Rxe4! In
the endgame after 18.Qxe4 Qxe4 19.Rxe4 Kd6 black would have some
drawing chances because of his active king, the weak d4 pawn and a bad
bishop on c3. 18… Rd8 19.Rfe1 Rd6 20.Rf4 g6 21.h4! After winning
the exchange, Aronian does not pause for breath but continues the
assault. 21… Rd7 22.h5! Bxd4 No better was 22…Qxh5 23.d5 winning
immediately. 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Qxg6 Ne5 25.Qf6+ 1-0