(1) Renna,Joe (1304) - Kern,Jack (1246) [E61]
USATE Parsippany, NJ (4), 15.02.2009
[John Moldovan & Rybka 2.3]

E61 King's Indian Defense (by transposition)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.Nf3 Instead of advancing his attacked P to d5 and giving the enemy his desired Benoni formation, Joe prosaically protects d4 with a developing move. [3.e3 , which aims for 3...cxd4 4.exd4 d5 5.Nc3 & a Panov Caro-Kann, is another way to play.]

3...g6 4.e3 [A solid choice. The space-gaining 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 is more ambitious but more demanding.]

4...Bg7 Diagram



5.Bd3 [>=5.Nc3 /\ Be2 or even Bb5 (following 5...cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.c5 - another Panov line). At d3, the B interferes with the Q's watch over d4 & is at risk. Trust me on this one. I've been playing similar positions in the Symmetrical English for 18 years.]

5...0-0 6.0-0 d6 7.b3 [After 7.Nc3 Black can yield the B pair in exchange for play against d4. For example : 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 cxd4 10.exd4 Nc6 11.Be3 Nd7 ; 7.h3 , investing a tempo to avoid the pin, also seems wanting as 7...Nc6 8.Nc3 e5 threatens to win a piece & the game.]

7...Nbd7 8.Bb2 Re8 9.Nc3 b6N [9...e5 was more consistent; but Kern's selection does improve upon the 9...Nf8 of Bezler - Eiler : Austria 1999; where 10.dxc5 dxc5 11.h3 would have been +/=.]

10.Qc2 Bb7 11.d5 Diagram

White opens the diagonal for his QB & tries to limit the scope of Black's.

11...e5 [Closing the position hurts Black's clerics more than the Bb2. >=11...e6= looking to free the Bb7.]

12.e4 [This strengthens d5 but makes White's light-squared B as bad as Black's. >=12.Nd2+/= ]

12...Nf8 [>=12...Nh5 13.g3 Bh6= although the thematic ...f5 or ...b5 break would still be far away.]

13.Bc1! This delays or stops Black from redeploying his dark-squared B.

13...Ba6 [This doesn't help the B any. It will be a spectator here, too. Again >= ...Nh5 or 13...h6 14.Be3 g5 ]

14.Bg5 Qd7 Stepping out of the pin.

15.Qc1 Rab8 [15...Nh5 /\...Nf4 was still best.]

16.Bh6?! [>=16.Qa3!+/= ]

16...Bxh6 [16...Nh5 would've restored the balance.]

17.Qxh6 Diagram



17...Ng4 [>=17...Nh5 /\18.g3 Nf4! 19.Bc2 Qg4 ]

18.Qd2 Bc8 Black corrects his errant 13th.

19.h3 Nf6 20.Be2 Kg7 21.Nh2 [>=21.Ne1 ]

21...h6 22.Ng4 [>=22.a3+/= ]

22...Nxg4 23.Bxg4 Qe7 24.Bxc8 Rexc8 25.f4 Nh7?! [25...exf4= ]

26.f5 gxf5? [This exposes Black's K & asks for trouble. He should've played 26...Nf6+/= ; or 26...g5+/= ]

27.Rxf5 Qh4 28.Raf1 Rf8 29.Qe2? Diagram

[>=29.Kh2! Threat 30.g3 Qe7 31.Rh5 29...Ng5 30.Qe3 a6 31.Rh1 Nh7 32.Ne2 Kh8 33.g3 Qe7 34.Rh5 b5 35.Qxh6 f6 36.Rc1+- Rybka 1.41/20 ]

29...Qg3? [This seems to be the losing move. >=29...Ng5+/- ]

30.R1f3+- Qh4 31.Qf1 [Tripling against f7 is natural but 31.Qe3+- /\Ng5 (>=31...Kh8 ) 32.Rg3 f6 33.Rg4 Qh5 34.Qg3 was even stronger.]

31...Ng5 32.Re3 Nh7 33.Ne2 a6? [33...Kh8 was a better try.]

34.Ng3 Qe7? The Dame isn't safe here. She should gone to d8 instead.

35.Rh5 This vacates f5 for the N, threatens to fork the royal couple & starts focusing on h6 which cannot be successfully defended.

35...Qf6? [This loses another tempo & makes Renna's attack overwhelming. >=35...Kh8 36.Nf5 Qd7 37.Rxh6 f6 ]

36.Nf5+ Kh8 37.Rxh6 Qg5 38.Rg3 Qd2 Diagram



39.Rg7 [>=39.Rxh7+! Kxh7 40.Qf3 /\ 41.Qh5+, etc.]

39...Qxh6 40.Rg8+? [>=40.Nxh6 Kxg7 41.Nf5+ Kh8 42.Nxd6 was best. The unnecessary R check makes White's mop-up more difficult but the victory is still at hand.]

40...Rxg8 41.Nxh6 Rg6 42.Nf5 Ng5 43.Qd3 b5 44.Qg3 bxc4 45.Nxd6! The Rg6 is overloaded.

45...Rxd6? 46.Qxe5+ Kh7 47.Qxd6 Rg8 48.Qg3 f6 49.bxc4 Rg6 50.d6 Nxe4 51.Qh4+ Kg7 52.Qxe4 f5 53.Qe7+ Black resigns. 1-0