Leko and Anand mix it up at Melody Amber!!

Leko took apart the current World Champion and the strongest
blitz player in the world, Vishy Anand in 28 moves
after 17 moves of theory. Leko played the Perenyi variation
becuase he wanted to have fun like Dan Avery or
Wall-Ramirez. see below.

Rapid Game, Game/25 minutes
plus 10 second increment per move.

[Event "2008 Melody Amber "]
[Site "Nice, France"]
[Date "2008.03.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "GM_Leko(R)"]
[Black "GM_Anand(R)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Opening "Sicilian: Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack, Perenyi Variation"]
[ECO "B90"]
[NIC "SI.14"]
[Time "08:47:33"]
[TimeControl "1500+10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6
7. g4 e5 8. Nf5 g6 9. g5 gxf5 10. exf5 d5 11. Qf3 d4 12. O-O-O Nbd7
13. Bc4 Qc7 14. Bxd4 exd4 15. Rhe1+ Kd8 16. Rxd4 Bc5 17. Rdd1!

17 Rd3 has been played twice before, 17 Rdd1 once before.
see below.

17 ... Re8! TN

Theoretical Novelty played by Anand -
17 ... Q:h2!! has been played before in postal
Anand's move looks safer in a rapid game.
Both moves are about equal.

18. gxf6! Rxe1! 19. Rxe1! Nxf6!

A good move that again looks safer than 19 ... Q:h2!!

20. Rd1+!

Leko has two pawns plus a safer King for his piece
plus a much easier game to play in Rapid, even for
Super Vishy

20 ... Bd7

20 ... Ke8, ... Bd7 and ... Ke7 are all playable

21. Bxf7

21 Nd5!! is good too

21 ... Qxh2?

Odd -
after refusing to take the rookpawn twice when
it was the best move the World Champion chooses
a lousy time to grab it. He should have taken his
King for a walk out of the danger zone with 21 ... Kc8!!
even though that idea failed for me in my game Sunday
with Renard Anderson. see below.

My general rule is that taking rook pawns in the
middle game is bad due to a central reaction even
if it is not immediately clear how strong it is.

22. Nd5!!

22 Be6!! is also good-
Anand is in trouble

22 ... Rc8?

Another bad move in a difficult position.
The best try now was
22 ... Bd6 23 N:f6 Qh6+ 24 Kb1 Q:f6 25 Be6 Qe7
26 Q:b7 Rb8 27 Q:a6 Kc7 28 B:d7 Q:d7
and Leko has 4 pawns plus a safer King for
Anand's bishop.

23. Be6!!

Anand's position is crumbling on the d7-square.
It's just too much. A sign of how bad it is -
23 Be6 Rc7 Leko does not even have to take the rook -
24 N:f6 Qh6+ 25 Kb1 Q:f6 26 Qd5
hitting c5 and d7 wins

23 ... Bxf2

Setting a mating trap after
24 N:f6?? Be3+!!

24. c3!!

The human backboard
( Kasparov's description of Leko )
sees through that nonsense.

24 ... Rc7 25. Nxf6! Qh6+! 26.
Kb1! Qxf6! 27. Qxf2! Ke8! 28. Qg3

28 Qh2 or Qd2 were three times stronger
than Leko's move but it was good enough to
make Anand resign. With Leko's world famous technique
playing out 28 Qg3 B:e6 29 Q:c7 B:f5+ 30 Kb1
an exchange down would have been hopeless.

{White wins} 1-0

Moral-
beware of grabbing rook pawns.
----------------------------------------------------------
[Event "2008 Melody Amber "]
[Site "Nice, France"]
[Date "2008.03.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "GM_Leko(R)"]
[Black "GM_Anand(R)"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Opening "Sicilian: Najdorf, Byrne (English) attack, Perenyi Variation"]
[ECO "B90"]
[NIC "SI.14"]
[Time "08:47:33"]
[TimeControl "1500+10"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 e6 7. g4 e5 8.
Nf5 g6 9. g5 gxf5 10. exf5 d5 11. Qf3 d4 12. O-O-O Nbd7 13. Bc4 Qc7 14. Bxd4
exd4 15. Rhe1+ Kd8 16. Rxd4 Bc5 17. Rdd1 Re8 18. gxf6 Rxe1 19. Rxe1 Nxf6 20.
Rd1+ Bd7 21. Bxf7 Qxh2 22. Nd5 Rc8 23. Be6 Bxf2 24. c3 Rc7 25. Nxf6 Qh6+ 26.
Kb1 Qxf6 27. Qxf2 Ke8 28. Qg3 {White wins} 1-0
----------------------------------------------------------
[Event "Budapest FS11 IM-A"]
[Site "Budapest"]
[Date "1994.11.??"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Farago,Sandor"]
[Black "Habibi,Ali"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B81"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be3 a6 7.g4 e5
8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bxd4 exd4
14.Bc4 Qc7 15.Rhe1+ Kd8 16.Rxd4 Bc5 17.Rd3 Re8 18.Red1 Nh5 19.Bxf7 Qf4+
20.Kb1 Qxf3 21.Rxf3 Ng7 22.f6 Ne6 23.Rf5 b6 24.h4 Nc7 25.h5 Rf8
26.Bb3 Nb5 27.Nxb5 axb5 28.f7 Rh8 29.g6 hxg6 30.hxg6 Bf8 31.f4 Bg7
32.Bd5 Rb8 33.Bc6 Kc7 34.Bxb5 Nf8 35.Rg5 Be6 36.f5 Rd8 37.Rdg1 Bd7
38.Bc4 b5 39.Bb3 Bxf5 40.Rxf5 Rd6 41.Rxb5 Rxg6 42.Re1 Bf6 43.a4 Rg5
44.Rxg5 Bxg5 45.Re8 Bd2 46.c3 Bf4 47.Bd5 Bd6 48.b4 Rh5 49.Be4 Rh3
50.Kc2 Rh2+ 51.Kb3 Rf2 52.Bd5 Rf1 53.a5 Nd7 54.Ra8 Be7 55.Be6 Nf8
56.Ra7+ Kd8 57.Bc4 Nd7 58.Bxf1

1-0

----------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Wolfgang Heidenfeld mem corr"]
[Site "Irland"]
[Date "2000.03.30"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Azar,Pinhas"]
[Black "Knol,Everdinand"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B81"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 e5
8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bc4 Qc7
14.Bxd4 exd4 15.Rhe1+ Kd8 16.Rxd4 Bc5 17.Rd3 Ne8 18.Bxf7 Qxh2
19.Ne4 Bb4 20.Red1 Kc7 21.Ng3 Qh4 22.Qe3 Nd6 23.Be6 Bc5 24.Rc3 Kb8
25.Rxc5 Nxc5 26.Rxd6

1/2
----------------------------------------------------------

[Event "WC.2002.F.00001 email"]
[Site "IECG email"]
[Date "2002.12.15"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Mueller,Klaus Detlef"]
[Black "Claridge,John Bleddyn"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B81"]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 e5 8.Nf5 g6
9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bc4 Qc7 14.Bxd4 exd4
15.Rhe1+ Kd8 16.Rxd4 Bc5 17.Rdd1 Qxh2 18.gxf6 Kc7 19.Re7 Bxe7 20.fxe7 Qe5
21.Nd5+ Kb8 22.Qh5 Ka7 23.Qxf7 Nb6 24.Nxb6 Kxb6 25.Rd3 Qe1+

1/2
----------------------------------------------------------
[Event "208 Colorado Closed"]
[Site "Westwood College, 7350 Broadway, Denver, CO"]
[Date "2008.03.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "brianwall"]
[Black "Robert Ramirez"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "2200"]
[BlackElo "2111"]
[Opening "Sicilian defense, Bowlder Attack"]
[ECO "B20"]
[NIC "SI.48"]
[Time "02:58:49"]
[TimeControl "40/2 Game/1 5 second delay second time control only"]

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4

The Bowlder Attack renders Robert's 10,000 hours of Najdorf study useless.

2 ... Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d3 Bg7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Qa5 7. Ne2 b5
8. Bb3 Nd4 9. O-O e6 10. Nxd4 cxd4 11. Nd5!!

The fun move although 11 Ne2 is simpler,
winning the d-pawn after f4 and Bf2

11 ... Bb7 12. Nf4

I looked at 12 f4 or Qe2 but they didn't seem to do anything.
I missed the geometrically beautiful 12 Qe1!!!

12 ... Ne7 13. a4 b4 14. g4 e5 15. Bxe7 exf4 16. Bd6 Be5
17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. Qe1 f3 19. Qxb4 Bc6 20. Kh1 h5 21. g5 Qxg5
22. Rg1 Qe5 23. Qd2 d6 24. Rg5 Qf6 25. Rag1 Bd7 26. e5 dxe5 27.
Rxe5+ Kf8 28. Qb4+ Kg7 29. Qxd4 Bh3 30. Rge1 Rhd8 31. Qe3 Bg2+
32. Kg1 Rab8 33. Bxf7!!!

more fun

33 ... Kxf7 34. Re6 Qf5 35. Re7+ Kg8 36. Qh6 Qf7
37. R1e6 Rb6 38. Rxf7 Kxf7 39. Qxg6+

1-0 mate soon

Robert Ramirez resigns
----------------------------------------------------------
[Event "208 Colorado Closed"]
[Site "Westwood College, 7350 Broadway, Denver, CO"]
[Date "2008.03.16"]
[Round "2"]
[White "brianwall"]
[Black "Robert Ramirez"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "2200"]
[BlackElo "2111"]
[Opening "Sicilian defense, Bolwder Attack"]
[ECO "B20"]
[NIC "SI.48"]
[Time "02:58:49"]
[TimeControl "40/2 Game/1 5 second delay second time control only"]

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d3 Bg7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Qa5 7. Ne2 b5 8.
Bb3 Nd4 9. O-O e6 10. Nxd4 cxd4 11. Nd5 Bb7 12. Nf4 Ne7 13. a4 b4 14. g4 e5
15. Bxe7 exf4 16. Bd6 Be5 17. Bxe5 Qxe5 18. Qe1 f3 19. Qxb4 Bc6 20. Kh1 h5
21. g5 Qxg5 22. Rg1 Qe5 23. Qd2 d6 24. Rg5 Qf6 25. Rag1 Bd7 26. e5 dxe5 27.
Rxe5+ Kf8 28. Qb4+ Kg7 29. Qxd4 Bh3 30. Rge1 Rhd8 31. Qe3 Bg2+ 32. Kg1 Rab8
33. Bxf7 Kxf7 34. Re6 Qf5 35. Re7+ Kg8 36. Qh6 Qf7 37. R1e6 Rb6 38. Rxf7
Kxf7 39. Qxg6+

1-0 mate soon Robert Ramirez resigns

Riding the Rapids of Redemption

Playing the King's Gambit or the Fishing Pole is fairly unpredcitable -
you never know what's going to happen next.

[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.03.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "OneRedemption"]
[Black "brianwall"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "2261"]
[BlackElo "2265"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin defense, 4.O-O"]
[ECO "C65"]
[NIC "RL.07"]
[Time "14:01:08"]
[TimeControl "180+0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ng4!!

The Finger-fehler Pole

5. d4 exd4 6. Nxd4 h5!!

My favorite blitz position

7. Bf4

I like it better when they try the tempting
7 Nb3 or N:c6 or Nf5:g7+f5

7 ... Bc5!!

Basic Fishing Pole battle station for my KB

8. Nf5 d6 9. Nxg7+ Kf8!

The natural King Square in the Fishing Pole-
except for ... Qh4 everyone is where they should be

10. Bxc6 Kxg7

I never had this option before but
10 ... bc 11 Nf5 Ba6! is better
10 ... Qf6 is a little better too

11. Bd5! Qf6! 12. Bg3???? Qxb2?

Darn. I only saw 12 ... h4!!!!
9 moves later
I am just a little better now.
12 ... c6!! also wins

13. Nd2! c6

A good move but
13 ... h4!!!! 14 Bf4 c6!!!!
was much stronger

14. Bb3? Be6???

I was not used to a bishop sitting contentedly on g3 -
14 ... h4!! 15 Qf3 N:f2!! is crushing again

15. Bxe6! fxe6! 16. Nb3

I was waiting for 16 Rb1!!:b7+ but
OneRedemption's move is pretty good

16 ... Rad8 17. Nxc5?

Again I am waiting for the crushing 17 Rb1!!:b7+

17 ... dxc5! 18. Qf3 Qf6 19. Qb3 b5!! 20. f3 Qd4+!?

Trying to create some chances

21. Kh1! c4!?

Trying to improve on 21 ... h4! 22 Q:e6!!

22. Qb4

22 Qa3!! is better

22 ... c5!!

Trying to keep the Queen away from me
long enough to scare up some tactics

23. Qxb5?? h4!!

Finally!

24. fxg4

The only good move is impossible to see in blitz -
24 c3!!! and my Queen has to leave its perfect location
but wait ... I save the game with a Queen sac Fishing Pole attack!!!
24 c3!!! hg!!! 25 cd R:h2+ 26 Kg1 Rdh8
27 Qd7+ Kg6 28 Q:e6+ Nf6 29 Qf5+ Kf7
30 Qh3 R8:h3 31 gh cd!!!
I am down the exchange but two passed pawns on the 6th are worth an
extra rook - my pawns are only on the 5th -
My next move will probably be
32 ... Nh5 or ... c3
Let's contine a bit and see what happens
32 Rab1 c3 33 Rb7+ Kg6 34 R:a7 c2
35 Rc7 d3
and 36 ... Rf2 or ... Rd2
will win next

24 ... hxg3!!!

mating

This is what I was aiming at-
some real Fishing Pole action
Time -
OneRedemption 1:01
Brian 1:36

25. h3

Throwing away the Queen with
25 Qb7+ Rd7 26 Q:d7 Q:d7 27 Rad1 R:h2+ 28 Kg1 Qe7
29 g5 Q:g5 30 Rf3 Qh4 31 Rd7+ Kg6 32 R:g3+ Q:g3
33 Rd2 Qh4 34 Kf1 Rh1+ 35 Ke2 Rg1 36 Kf3 Rf1+
37 Ke2 Qe1+ 38 Re2 Qc3 checkmate
delays mate the longest

25 ... Rxh3+!! 26. gxh3! Qxe4+! 27. Kg1! Qe3+!
28. Kh1! g2+!! 29. Kxg2

Bummer. I didn't get to underpromote with
29 Kh2 f1(N)+!! 30 Rf1 Rd2+ mating

29 ... Rd2+

{White resigns} 0-1

mate in 2
----------------------------------------------------------
Statistics for OneRedemption On for: 14 Idle: 0
OneRedemption is currently involved in a match against Jonmeista.

rating [need] win loss draw total best
Blitz 2275 4209 3769 360 8338 2458 (05-Sep-2003)
----------------------------------------------------------
[Event "ICC 3 0"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2008.03.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "OneRedemption"]
[Black "brianwall"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ICCResult "White resigns"]
[WhiteElo "2261"]
[BlackElo "2265"]
[Opening "Ruy Lopez: Berlin defense, 4.O-O"]
[ECO "C65"]
[NIC "RL.07"]
[Time "14:01:08"]
[TimeControl "180+0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ng4 5. d4 exd4 6. Nxd4 h5 7. Bf4 Bc5
8. Nf5 d6 9. Nxg7+ Kf8 10. Bxc6 Kxg7 11. Bd5 Qf6 12. Bg3 Qxb2 13. Nd2 c6 14.
Bb3 Be6 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Nb3 Rad8 17. Nxc5 dxc5 18. Qf3 Qf6 19. Qb3 b5 20.
f3 Qd4+ 21. Kh1 c4 22. Qb4 c5 23. Qxb5 h4 24. fxg4 hxg3 25. h3 Rxh3+ 26.
gxh3 Qxe4+ 27. Kg1 Qe3+ 28. Kh1 g2+ 29. Kxg2 Rd2+ {White resigns} 0-1
----------------------------------------------------------
To recap the action from the dark side -
10 ... bc 11 Nf5 Ba6
would have been OK
12, 13, 14 ... h4!!! wins
On move 24 c3 loses brilliantly to 24 ... hg!!!!
24 fg hg! mates as played
24 Be1!! Q:a1!! ( 24 ... h3! draws)
25 fg Rhf8! 26 Rg1 Qe5
is OneRedemption's One Redemption
I am up the exchange but my pawns
look like a Times Square recruiting center.
( my brother Fred lived on 42nd and 8th street, NY, NY for a decade. )

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