(1) Moldovan,John (1812) - Shen,Victor C (2345) [A17]
Westfield Grand Prix Westfield, NJ (1), 22.11.2009
[Moldovan & Deep Rybka 3]

G/25 + :05 delay A17 English Opening Nimzo-English Variation

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 [This is new for me (at least on the White side) but there was no way I was going to repeat 4.g4 of our 2007 game; as my opponent was sure to have studied that line in the interim & I haven't!]

4...c5 [For 4...0-0 see my 2007 loss to Volovich.]

5.g3 0-0 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.a3 Ba5 [Apparently 7...Bxc3 8.Qxc3 d6= isn't as good.]

8.0-0 Diagram



8...d5? This makes c5 weak. [>=8...d6= as played by GM Michael Adams against Karpov, Agrest & Van Wely.]

9.cxd5?N [>=9.Na4! Nd4 (Rybka says 9...Nd7+/= is best.) 10.Nxd4 cxd4 11.b4 Bc7+/- Van Wely - Carslen : blitz game, Schagen 2006]

9...exd5 10.Na4 c4 11.b4! Bc7 [‹11...cxb3 12.Qxb3 Re8+/= as Black would have an isolated d-pawn.]

12.Bb2 h6N [This varies from the 12...a6 13.d3 cxd3 14.Qxd3 of Pritchett - Gausel : Gausdal 1993.; 12...Re8 , however, is more of an improvement.]

13.Nd4 [>=13.d3 Bf5 the move I wanted to avoid 14.Nc5 Rb8 15.Nh4+/= ]

13...Ne5 [13...Re8 would have restored the balance.]

14.Rac1 Diagram

This puts indirect pressure on c7 & I want to follow with f2-f4 + d2-d3.

14...Bb8? [14...a5 15.f4 Ned7+/= was correct.]

15.f4 Ng6 16.d3 Ng4 17.Qd2 Qe8 18.Nc3 Ne3? [>=18...Qe3+ 19.Qxe3 Nxe3 although after 20.Nxd5! Nxf1 21.Rxf1 White would still have a clear plus.]

19.Rf3? [19.Nxd5! Nxf1 20.Kxf1!+/- was right.]

19...Nxg2 20.Kxg2 cxd3? [20...Qd7= ]

21.Rxd3 Ne7 22.e4! White trades his weakness for Black's.

22...dxe4 23.Nxe4 b6 [>=23...f6+/= ]

24.Re1 Diagram



24...Qd7?? [24...f5 25.Nc3 Qf7+/- was a much better try.]

25.f5? [25.Nf3 would've won but I never thought of moving backward.]

25...Nxf5 26.Nxf5 Qxf5 27.Rf3 Qh5 [‹27...Qh3+? 28.Kg1+/- ]

28.Qc3 Bh3+ 29.Kf2 f6? [29...Qg6 30.Rf6 Qh7 31.Kg1© ]

30.Nxf6+ [30.Qc4+ Kh8 31.Nxf6! Qg6 32.Qd5 Bc7 33.Nh5+/= ]

30...gxf6? [30...Rxf6 31.Rxf6 gxf6 32.Qc4+ (Not 32.Qxf6? as 32...Qf5+-/+ trades Qs & keeps the extra piece) 32...Kg7 33.Bxf6+! Kxf6 34.Qc6+ Bd6 35.Qxa8 Qf7 36.Qf3+ Kg6 37.Qxf7+ Kxf7 38.Ke3=/+ ]

31.Rxf6? [31.Qc4+ Kg7 32.Re7+ Kg6 33.Qc6© ]

31...Bd6?? [31...Rxf6+ 32.Qxf6 Qf5+ 33.Qxf5 Bxf5 34.Re8+ Kf7 35.Rh8 Bd7 36.Be5 Be8-/+ ]

32.Kg1+- Bc5+? [>=32...Be5 33.Qc4+ Rf7 34.Qd5 Re8 35.Rxe5 Rxe5 36.Bxe5 Bd7 ]

33.bxc5 Qxc5+? Diagram

[>=33...Rxf6 ]

34.Re3?? [34.Qxc5 bxc5 35.Rg6+ would have forced mate : 35...Kh7 36.Rg7+ Shen 36...Kh8 37.Rg4+ (or 37.Rg5+ ) 37...Kh7 38.Re7+ Rf7 39.Rxf7# ]

34...Rxf6-+ 35.Qxf6 Qxe3+ & White time-forfeited. Time left - Moldovan 0:00, Shen 0:39 Time used - Moldovan 27:55, Shen 27:16 A very disappointing loss. The effect, as you will see, carried over to the next 2 rounds. 0-1