Khalifman-Marin Istanbul Olympiad 2000
1 .e4 e5 2.lLlf3 tt:lc6 3.�b5 a6 4.�a4 tt:lf6 5.0-0 tt:lxe4
Rumanian grandmaster Mihail Marin is an expert in the Open Spanish. Interest
ingly, Alexander Khalifman may also be found on the black side.
6.d4 b5 7.�b3 d5 8.dxe5 �e6 9.tt:lbd2 Or the alternative move order 9.c3 tLlc5
1 O.�c2 �g4 1 1 .lle 1 �e7 1 2.lLlbd2 'tid?
1 3 .tLlfl lld8 1 4.tLle3 and we have trans
posed to the game.
9 ... tt:lc5 1 0.c3 �e7
Important alternatives at this stage are 1 O .. . d4 and 1 O .. . �g4.
1 1 .�c2 �g4 1 2.lle1
Another possibility is 1 2.h3. However, in the game White will win gain a tempo with 1 4.lLle3, which is why 1 2.h3 is less logical. After 1 2 .. . i.h5 1 3.lle 1 0-0 1 4.lLlb3 tLle6 1 5 .g4 �g6 1 6.�f5 'tid?
1 7 .�e3 Marin has played 1 7 .. . lLlcd8 a couple of times.
1 2 ... 'ifd7
First completing his development on the queenside. There are two important
argu-ments in favour of this strategy. First, Black prepares the central .. . d5-d4. And secondly. as a prophylactic against a fu
ture a4. Nevertheless, the natural 1 2 ... 0-0 is also played.
1 3.lLlf1 lld8 1 4.lLle3
Here 1 4.lLlg3 d4 1 5.h3 d3! 1 6.hxg4 dxc2 1 7 .'ti'xc2 'ifxg4 was Thipsay-Marin, Linares 1 996.
1 4 ... �h5 1 5.b4
Fixing the queenside. The alternative is 1 5 .lLlf5, as was played, for instance, in Brodsky-Marin, Bucharest 1 994.
After 1 5 .. . 0-0 1 6.h3 lLle6 1 7.i.e3 llfe8 1 8.g4 �g6 1 9.a4 �c5 20.axb5 axb5 2 1 .tLl5d4 �xd4 22.cxd4 �e4 23.lLlg5 tLlcxd4! Black was fine.
1 5 ... lLle6
A tense middlegame position that is im
portant for the whole evaluation of this variation. Black aims to push ... d5-d4, al
though he should not play it too early as
�e4 may be inconvenient to meet. White must try to control the centre before he embarks on his play on both wings.
Khalifman demonstrates in a complex game that White has a good game. Can you follow in his footsteps?
The Combat begins. Good Luck!
You are White Your Score:
1 6 ... �g6 Your Score:
1 7 ... 0-0 Your Score:
1 8 .. J:tfe8 Your Score:
1 9 ... axb5 Your Score:
20 ... l:!.b8 Your Score:
2 1 . .. tt:lcd8 Your Score:
22 ... d4 Your Score:
23 ... c6 Your Score:
24 ... ..Q.g5 Your Score:
25 ... tt:lxe6 Your Score:
Combat 17- Khalifman-Marin
Your Move: 16.
1 6.g4 (8) 16.tLlf5(8) 16.'ii'xd5(2)
Your Move: 17.
1 7 .ltJfS ( 5 )
Your Move: 18.
1 8.a4 (7) 18.'ii'e2(5)
Your Move: 19.
1 9.axb5 ( 1 )
Your Move: 20.
20 . .td3 (7) 20.'ii'd3(5)
Your Move: 21.
2 1 .'ii'e2 (4)
22.l:!.a5 (8) 22.l:!.a7(6)
Your Move: 23.
2 3 J:td 1 (9) 23.tbxe7+(2) 23 . ..Q.xb5(2) 23.tDSxd4(2) 23.tD3xd4(1)
Your Move: 24.
24. tt:l 3xd4 (6)
24.�e4(5) 24.tDSxd4(5) 24.tbxe7+(2)
2 5 .t2Jxe6 (5) 2S.�xg5(3)
Your Move: 26.
26.�c4 (7) 26.�xg5(5) 26.tt:lxg7(5)
The Chess Combat Simulator- Round 2
26 ... 'ifc7 Your Score:
Your Score:
2 8 ... 'ii'b6 Your Score:
29 ... �xf7 Your Score:
30 ... l:f.a8 Your Score:
3 l ... l:f.xa8 Your Score:
And Black resigned.
Your Combat Score:
Your Move: 27.
2 7.�xe6 (3)
Your Move: 28.
2 8J:td7 (7)
Your Move: 29.
29.�xf7+ ( 1 0) 29.�b3(5)
Your Move: 30.
3 0.l:f.aa7 (5)
Your Move: 31.
3 l .l:f.xa8(4) 3l.e6(4) 31.l:f.ab7(3)
Your Move: 32.
32.e6 (4)
�axUnUEn score: l OO
Your Combat Performance:
Why did K.halifman play as he did?
poses to the game after 16 ... 0-0 17 .a4 ..ig6 18.g4!. Instead the game R.Vasquez-Marin, Andorra 1991, went:
18.�e3 d4 19.axb5 axbS 20.ltJSxd4 lt:lcxd4 2l.lt:lxd4 i.xb4! 22.�xg6 hxg6 23.'ii'b3 tt:lxd4 24.�xd4 i.e7 2S.l:f.a7 'ii'c6 26.h3 and draw agreed.
Black is fine after 16.'ii'xd5 'ifxdS 17.lt:lxd5 �xf3 18.gxf3 l:f.xdS 19.�e4 lt:lxb4.
1 6 ... �g6 1 7.tt:lf5
1 6.g4 There are no real alternatives. Note that
Equally strong is 16.tt:lfS which trans- the threat of ... d5-d4 is hanging in the air
- the whole point of Black's set-up with ... li'd7 and ... l:!.d8.
1 7 ... 0-0
Here 17 ... h5?! 18.h3 d4 19.�e4 'it>f8 20.a4 favours White as in the first match game Hjartarson-Kortchnoi, Saint John 1988. The immediate 17 .. . d4 18.�e4 is also good for White.
1 8.a4
This is best, but 18.'ii'e2 is a reasonable second choice.
1 8 ... l:tfe8
Black makes another useful waiting move before pushing the d-pawn. Marin had al
ready played 18 ... d4 twice before. The strongest reply in that case is I 9 .axbS axbS 20.�e4 to position the bishop on this excellent square.
1 9.axb5 axb5 20.�d3 Also not bad is 20.'ii'd3.
20 ... l:!.b8 strong novelty. Khalifman improves upon 22.l:!.a7 d4 23 .tt:l3xd4 i.xfS 24.gxf5 tt:lxd4 2S.cxd4 'ii'xd4 26.l:!.xc7 ..ixb4 27.i.b2 and according to the Encyclopaedia White is better, but that
Combat 17- Khalifman-Marin
seems exaggerated. Black has very decent counterplay after 27 ... 'ili'f4 Zarnicki
Sorin, Argentina 1996, and Shabalov
Sorin, Biel l992.
22 ... d4?
This is a mistake. Marin has indicated 22 ... c6 23 .�e3 tZ:lc7 24.l:!.eal as some
what better for White.
23.l:td 1
This is the kind of move that will win you a game. There are all sorts of other moves that come into consideration, but none of them bring White much in the way of an advantage:
- 23.tt:Jxe7+ 'fr'xe7 is OK for Black.
- 23.i.xb5 c6 24.�c4 dxc3 and again Black has no problems since he has suc
ceeded in breaking down White's struc
ture.
- 23.cxd4? �xb4 wins material.
- 23.ltJSxd4 �xd3 24.'fr'xd3 tt:lc6 2S.l:!.xb5 tt:lexd4 26.tt:Jxd4 'fr'xg4+ and White has nothing.
- 23.ti:J3xd4 tt:Jxd4 24.cxd4 (24.ti:Jxd4
�xd3 2S.'ii'xd3 'fr'xg4+) 24 ... �xb4 loses an exchange .
23 ... c6 24.tt:l3xd4
Fairly good are also: 24.i.e4 and 24.ltJSxd4. Black is equal after 24.tLlxe7 + 'ii'xe7 2S.i.xg6 hxg6 26.tt:Jxd4 tt:Jxd4 27.l:!.xd4 'fr'xeS 28.'fr'xe5 l:!.xeS 29 . ..if4 l:!.el+ 30.'it>g2 l:!.c8.
The Chess Combat Simulator- Round 2
24 ... �g5
Black settles for the loss of a pawn, hop
ing to gain reasonable compensation ow
ing to the White pawn on g4. Losing is 24 ... �xb4? 2S.cxb4 lt:Jxd4 26.lt:Jxd4 'ilfxd4 27 .�xg6 t!fxb4 28.�d2. Likewise, 24 ... lt:Jxd4 2S.lt:Jxd4 �xd3 (2S ... �d6 26.�f5!) 26.lhd3 is very favourable for White.
25.tt:Jxe6
White also gains an edge with 2S.�xg5 lt:JxgS 26.t!fe3!.
25 ... tt:lxe6 26.�c4
The strongest move, although that is quite hard to see. Also possible is 26.�xg5 lt:JxgS 27 .'it'e3 or 27.�xb5 lt:Jh3+ 28.�fl t!fc7 29.�c4. Spectacular is 26.tt::lxg7 �xg7 27 .�xgS (27 .�xg6!
t!fc7 28.�c2! planning 28 ... �xcl 29Jhcl tt::lf4 30.'it'e4 is better for White) 27 ... tt::lxg5 28.�xg6 t!fc7 and Black has counterplay.
26 .. .'ir'c7 27.�xe6 Eliminating a defender.
27...�xc1
27 .. .fxe6 2 8. lt:Jd 6 wins.
28Jid7
Khalifman must have planned this strong intermediate move way ahead. 28.l:hcl
.l:txe6 and Black is back in the game. No good idea either is 28.�xf7 +.
28 ... 'ili'b6 29.�xf7+
In style. 29.i.b3 �f4 (29 ... �g5 30 . .l:taa7) 30.t!ff3 also favours White.
29 ... �xf7 30.l:Z.aa7 J:a8
30 ... �g6 31.'ili'a2+ �h8 32.l:a6 catches the queen- 31..l:txg7+ �h8 32.e6 is also good. 32 ... �f4 (to prevent 33.t!fe5) is met by 33.c4! - the queen goes to the main diagonal with devastating effect.
31 .J:xa8
Winning alternatives are: 3l.e6 and 3l . .l:tab7.
31 ... l:txa8 32.e6
Black resigned. There is nothing to be done against the double threat of t!fes and exf7+. For example, 32 ... t!fb8 33.exf7+ �h8 34 . .l:te7 'it'f8 3S . .l:te8.