(2) Moldovan,John (1801) - Kumar,Aravind (1976) [D35]
Kenilworth Summer Tournament - open Kenilworth, NJ (10.2), 11.08.2011
[Moldovan & Houdini 1.5a]

#2 of 2 simultaneous games G/55+5 (delay) D36 Queen's Gambit Exchange Variation

1.Nf3 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.d4 Be7 6.Bg5 0-0 7.Qc2 c6 8.e3 Ne4 This is best. [For 8...Re8 ; and 8...Nbd7 see my 2006 Kenilworth Ch. games against Stoyko and Tomkovich.]

9.Bxe7 [9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nd2 ; and 9.Bf4 are playable.]

9...Qxe7 10.Bd3 f5 [I prefer 10...Bf5 11.0-0 Nd7 12.Rab1 a5 13.a3 Bg6N 14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Ra3 but will admit to an anti-stonewall bias. ;-)]

11.0-0 Nd7 12.Nd2 Diagram

[>=12.Rae1 protecting e3, in preparation for the N-kicking f2-f3 12...Ndf6 13.Ne5 Be6 14.Na4 Rae8 15.f3 Nd6 16.Nc5 Bc8 17.b4 Qc7 18.Re2 g6 19.a4 a6 20.Rc1+/= Kortschnoj - Minev : Leipzig 1960; or 12.Rab1 planning a minority attack (b2-b4-b5) 12...a5 13.a3 Kh8 14.Rfe1 Rf6 15.Nd2 Nd6 16.Na4 b5 17.Nc5 Nc4 18.Nxd7 Bxd7 19.Nf3 Raf8 20.a4+/= Beliavsky - Filippov : Batumi 1999]

12...Qf6!?N I thought this was odd but its point soon becomes clear. [12...Ndf6 has scored extremely well in practice (+9-2=4 for Black) but the chances should be even.]

13.f3 [13.Ne2 , reinforcing the d4 & f4 spots, may improve.]

13...Nd6 [I expected 13...Nxd2 14.Qxd2 f4 looking to undermine the d4P.; or 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 c5 ]

14.b4 This is too ambitious. [>=14.Rae1 /\f4 (?!) 15.Nb3+/= ]

14...a6 [14...f4 was a good alternative.]

15.Nb3 b5? [>=15...Qh6 16.Rae1 Nb6= would have maintained the balance. Now White gets the upper hand.]

16.e4 Qf7?! [>=16...Nc4 17.e5 (‹17.Rae1 Ndb6= ) 17...Qe7 18.Bxf5! g6 (Not 18...Ne3? 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.Qg6+/- Nxf1?? 21.Qh5+- ) 19.Bxd7 Bxd7 (19...Ne3?? 20.Qf2 Nxf1 21.Bxc6+- ) 20.Nd1 Qxb4 21.Nc5 Bf5 22.Qf2 Qd2 23.Qxd2 Nxd2 24.Re1 h5+/= ]

17.Na5 Nb8 18.a4 [>=18.g4!+/- ]

18...Nc4 19.Rae1 Nxa5 20.bxa5 Be6 21.e5?! [>=21.Ne2 Qd7 22.e5+/- ]

21...Nd7 [>=21...c5+/= ]

22.Re2?! [>=22.Ne2 Rac8 23.g4+/- trying to force-open the d3-h7 diagonal.]

22...Rfc8 Diagram



23.Qd2? This lets the initiative pass to Black. [>=23.g4+/= ]

23...b4 24.Na2 b3?! [>=24...c5 25.dxc5 b3 26.c6 Nb8 (‹26...Nc5 27.Nb4 ) 27.Nc1 d4© ]

25.Nc3? White has lost the thread. [25.Nb4= ]

25...c5 26.dxc5 Nxc5?! [>=26...Qe7 ]

27.Ra1?? This completes the collapse. [27.Bb1-/+ was required. Now Aravind wins an Exchange and the game:]

27...d4-+ 28.Nd1 Nxd3 29.Qxd3 Bc4 30.Qd2 Bxe2 31.Qxe2 Rc2 32.Qd3 b2 33.Rb1 Rac8 34.Rxb2 Rxb2 35.Nxb2 Qa2 36.Qxd4 White plays for a perpetual but there is none to be had. Despite time-pressure, Black has the K's escape worked-out.

36...Rc1+ 37.Nd1 Qb3 38.Qd8+ Kf7 39.Qd7+ Kg6 40.Qd6+ Kh5 41.g4+ fxg4 42.fxg4+ Kh4 43.Qe7+ Kh3 44.Qxg7 Rxd1+ 45.Kf2 Rd2+ 46.Kf1 Qd1# Given the huge advantage in development, position and clock I had after 21 moves, this loss and the evening's 0 for 2 were huge disappointments. In 10 previous KST simuls, I had amassed a +12-2= 6 mark! Time left - Moldovan 0:36, Kumar 1:22 Estimated time used - Moldovan 58:14, Kumar 57:28 Longest think by White - 7 minutes for 15.Nb3 Longest think by Black - 9 minutes for 12...Qf6 0-1