(2) Chen,Kevin (1886) - Moldovan,John (1814) [E11]
21st Kenilworth Championship Kenilworth, NJ (3), 27.01.2011
[Moldovan & Fire 1.31]

G/85+5 (delay) E11 Bogo-Indian Defense

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 a5 A line introduced by Bronstein in 1960.

5.a3 [RR5.g3 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.Bg2 0-0 8.0-0 Bxc3N 9.Bxc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 f5 11.Rfd1 Nxc3 12.Qxc3 Qe7 13.e3 D. Ippolito (2132) - Moldovan : Kenilworth 05/11/1991 (1/2-1/2, 57) 13...Ra7= ; For 5.Bxb4 see my 2006 KST game vs. Shiffman.]

5...Bxd2+ [5...Be7!? 6.Nc3 d5 , as suggested by my opponent and played by Taimanov, is playable but I'd rather trade Bs and put my Ps on dark-squares than play a Q's Gambit position.]

6.Nbxd2 Qe7 This holds-off the space-grabbing b2-b4 while supporting the thematic, center-contesting ...c5 and ...e5 advances.Diagram

[RR6...d6 7.e4 e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Nxe5N Radler - Moldovan : G/16, Playchess 10/02/2005 9...Qd4 10.Nd3 Nc6� ; For 6...0-0 see my 2007 game vs. Powell.; �6...d5 7.e3+/= ]

7.b3! White rules-out ...a4 and retains Q-side expansion possibilities.

7...b6N This gives the game a Q's Indian flavor [and varies from the 7...Nc6 8.e3 d6 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 b6 11.Qc2 g6 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Bb7 14.Qh4 Qxh4 15.Nxh4 e5 16.d5 Ne7 17.e4 f5= of Barosso - Vujovic : Milan 1992]

8.e3 [8.g3 Bb7 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 c5 is equal.]

8...Bb7 [8...Ba6!? 9.Qc2 d5 10.cxd5 Bxf1 11.Nxf1 exd5 12.Ng3 0-0 /\13.Nf5 Qd7 14.g4 Rc8 also looks okay.]

9.Be2 9...0-0 10.0-0 c5 With this move and his next, Black hits d4 and reinforces his hold of b4.

11.Qc2 Diagram



11...Nc6 [11...d6 + ...Nbd7, keping the Bb7's line open and protecting the weakened b6, was a good alternative.]

12.Rfd1 Rac8 This is a bit premature. [12...cxd4 13.Nxd4 Rac8 was more accurate; and remaining flexible with 12...d6 13.Rac1 h6 was best of all.]

13.Qb2 Shifting the Dame to b2, away from the Rc8, overprotects d4, momentarily increases White's control of e5 and keeps a future b3-b4 in mind... [... But >=13.dxc5 bxc5 14.Nb1 Rfd8 15.Nc3 d6 16.Rd2 h6 17.Rad1 isolating the a5P (which is no longer protected by the R) and loading-up on the backward d6P.]

13...d6 [13...cxd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Qc5 was more consistent and less cramped. Why put the R on c8 if you aren't going to play ...cd?]

14.Rac1 h6 This makes luft and prevents a possible Ng5-e4 maneuver.

15.Nb1! The N is headed to c3. From there, it can go to a4, putting pressure on my b6 and c5 Ps, or occupy the b5 square.

15...Rfd8 16.Nc3 Diagram

[16.d5 exd5 17.cxd5 Ne5 18.Nc3 was an option.]

16...d5? [>=16...cxd4 17.exd4 Nb8! would have maintained the balance.]

17.cxd5 [>=17.Na4 cxd4 18.exd4 Qc7 19.c5 bxc5 20.Nxc5 ]

17...cxd4?? Black miscalculates. [17...exd5 /\18.dxc5 (>=18.Bd3+/= ) 18...bxc5 19.Na4 d4!= was right.]

18.dxc6!+- [I expected 18.Na4 Nxd5= /\19.e4 Nc3=/+ ]

18...dxc3 19.cxb7 cxb2 20.bxc8Q [20.Rxc8 b1Q 21.Rxb1 Qxb7 22.Rxd8+ was even better.]

20...bxc1Q [20...Rxc8 21.Rxc8+ Kh7 22.a4 was hopeless, too.]

21.Qxc1 The move I missed. Down a piece, there was no point in continuing. Time left - Chen 25:57, Moldovan 35:59 Estimated time used - Chen 60:48, Moldovan 50:46 Longest think by White - 13 minutes for 18.dxc6! Longest think by Black - 15 minutes for 15...Rfd8. 1-0