First round brings few surprises

Tapani Sammalvuo
tapani@sammalvuo.fi

The opening rounds of big opens tend to see vast rating differences between the opposing players. This was also the case in XXX Heart of Finland’s first round, and the favourites went on to trounce their opponents with a huge score. Only two upsets were seen (not counting a bunch of draws), Marko Remes (1834) and Sara-Olivia Sippola (1704) beating FM Henri Pohjala (2339) and CM Rickard Engman (2159), respectively.

Typical of the treatment given and received was IM Alexander Mikhalevski’s win over young Tamás Martinec.

[Event "XXX Heart of Finland Open / Nordic Cham"] [Site "Jyvaskyla, Finland"] [Date "2022.07.18"] [Round "1"] [White "Mikhalevski, Alexander"] [Black "Martinec, Tamas"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A52"] [WhiteElo "2428"] [BlackElo "1848"] [Annotator "Sammalvuo,Tapani"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 {Budapest gambit is Martinec’s favourite opening. It is always a risky choice, and especially so against a higher rated player, but it does offer some chances to confuse the matter against an opponent groggy from a long trip. However, judging from the game it seems that Mikhalevski was more than well rested…} 4. Nf3 ({The main alternative is} 4. Bf4 {, when the bishop develops outside the pawn chain. The game continuation usually leads to somewhat sharper play.}) 4... Bc5 5. e3 Nc6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be2 Re8 8. O-O Ngxe5 9. Nxe5 Nxe5 10. f4 ({Avrukh advocates} 10. b3 {in his popular book Grandmaster Repertoire 1. Then the main line is} a5 {planning to bring the queen’s rook to the kingside with the unconventional manouver … Ra6-h6. The text move is sharper and, incidentally, the first line of the computer.}) 10... Ng6 11. Bd3 {Now White is the one playing a gambit! Black’s lagging development makes accepting the sacrifice risky.} d6 12. Qh5 $5 { N Insisting on giving up the e3-pawn.} (12. Kh1 $1 {was probably more accurate. Here} Bxe3 $6 13. f5 Nf8 14. f6 {is extremely dangerous for Black and otherwise White can play 13.e4.}) 12... Bxe3+ 13. Bxe3 Rxe3 14. Rad1 f5 $2 { [#] Black is ready to give back the pawn in order to complete his development. However, this weakens Black’s king unnecessarily.} ({Continuing the development traditionally with} 14... Bd7 {(intending …Bc6) was better. White’s attack is not as strong as it might seem at first glance. For example,} 15. Nd5 ({preferable is} 15. c5 $5 {, with compensation}) 15... Re8 16. f5 $6 Re5 $1 {and the pin is difficult to break.}) 15. c5 $1 (15. Bxf5 Bxf5 16. Qxf5 {was also slightly better for White, but the text is more energetic.}) 15... Be6 {What else?} 16. Bxf5 {[#]} Qf6 $2 (16... Bc4 $1 {would have required more inventiveness from White. In practice, I believe the game would have continued} 17. Rf3 (17. Rf2 $6 Qe7 {is not at all clear}) ({AI’s (Stockfish 15’s, that is) } 17. cxd6 $1 Bxf1 18. Kxf1 cxd6 19. Nd5 Re8 20. Rc1 $1 {leads to a beatiful domination, but would be hard to find for a human.}) 17... Qe8 {, when Black is OK.}) 17. Bxe6+ Rxe6 18. cxd6 cxd6 19. Qd5 {White’s threat of 20.f5 forces Black’s reply.} Ne7 20. Qxb7 Re8 21. Qxa7 {White is two pawns up. The game is over.} Nf5 22. Qb7 R8e7 23. Qf3 Ne3 24. Nd5 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

Initial position

Mikhalevski, Alexander2428

Martinec, Tamas1848

XXX Heart of Finland Open / Nordic Cham1

18. heinäkuuta 2022Jyvaskyla, Finland

Annotated by Sammalvuo,Tapani

1.d41…Nf62.c42…e53.dxe53…Ng4Budapest gambit is Martinec’s favourite opening. It is always a risky choice, and especially so against a higher rated player, but it does offer some chances to confuse the matter against an opponent groggy from a long trip. However, judging from the game it seems that Mikhalevski was more than well rested…4.Nf3The main alternative is4.Bf4, when the bishop develops outside the pawn chain. The game continuation usually leads to somewhat sharper play.4…Bc55.e35…Nc66.Nc36…O-O7.Be27…Re88.O-O8…Ngxe59.Nxe59…Nxe510.f4Avrukh advocates10.b3in his popular book Grandmaster Repertoire 1. Then the main line is10…a5planning to bring the queen’s rook to the kingside with the unconventional manouver … Ra6-h6. The text move is sharper and, incidentally, the first line of the computer.10…Ng611.Bd3Now White is the one playing a gambit! Black’s lagging development makes accepting the sacrifice risky.11…d612.Qh5 !?N Insisting on giving up the e3-pawn.12.Kh1 !was probably more accurate. Here12…Bxe3 ?!13.f513…Nf814.f6is extremely dangerous for Black and otherwise White can play 13.e4.12…Bxe3+13.Bxe313…Rxe314.Rad114…f5 ?

Black is ready to give back the pawn in order to complete his development. However, this weakens Black’s king unnecessarily.Continuing the development traditionally with14…Bd7(intending …Bc6) was better. White’s attack is not as strong as it might seem at first glance. For example,15.Nd5preferable is15.c5 !?, with compensation15…Re816.f5 ?!16…Re5 !and the pin is difficult to break.15.c5 !15.Bxf515…Bxf516.Qxf5was also slightly better for White, but the text is more energetic.15…Be6What else?16.Bxf5

16…Qf6 ?16…Bc4 !would have required more inventiveness from White. In practice, I believe the game would have continued17.Rf317.Rf2 ?!17…Qe7is not at all clearAI’s (Stockfish 15’s, that is)17.cxd6 !17…Bxf118.Kxf118…cxd619.Nd519…Re820.Rc1 !leads to a beatiful domination, but would be hard to find for a human.17…Qe8, when Black is OK.17.Bxe6+17…Rxe618.cxd618…cxd619.Qd5White’s threat of 20.f5 forces Black’s reply.19…Ne720.Qxb720…Re821.Qxa7White is two pawns up. The game is over.21…Nf522.Qb722…R8e723.Qf323…Ne324.Nd51–0

Artikkelikuva: Panu Laine

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