Nakamura, Gelfand Wins 2nd Round, Tal Memorial 2010

7 November 2010, Kuala Lumpur – At the Tal Memorial Chess Tournament 2010 in Moscow, Nakamura overcomed Eljanov while Gelfand defeated Shirov with white.

In the overall standings after the 2nd Round, Karjakin (pix left) leads with 1.5 points with a slightly better tiebreak point. Others with 1.5 points include Aronian, Wang Hao, Nakamura and Grischuk. It is still too early to say. Both Eljanov and Shirov have lost both their early rounds, so far.

 

 

Here is a game from round 2 between GM Nakamura against GM Eljanov in which Nakamura prevailed. The Catalan-Bogo Indian opening transpired during the game.

[Event "Tal Memorial 2010, Moscow"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2010.11.08"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Nakamura, Hikaru"]
[Black "Eljanov, P."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E00"]

{E00: Catalan Bogo-Indian (3 g3 Bb4+)} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Nd2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc5 6. Bg2 O-O 7. Ngf3 Nc6 8. O-O d5 9. e3 {last book move} Qe7 10.cxd5 exd5 11. Nb3 {White has a cramped position} Bb6 12. a4 a6 (12... Bg4 13.h3 Bd7 14. Bd2 $15) 13. Nbd4 {A valuable piece} Bg4 {Black has a very active position} 14. Qb3 {White threatens to win material: Qb3xb6} Ba7 {Black has a very active position} 15. Bd2 Ne4 16. Bc3 Nxc3 17. bxc3 {Black has the pair of bishops} Rfd8 {Black has an active position} 18. Nd2 {Exerts pressure on the isolated pawn} (18. h3 Na5 19. Qb1 Be6 $11) 18... Na5 {Black threatens to win
material: Na5xb3} (18... Nxd4 19. cxd4 Qd7 20. Rfc1 $14) 19. Qa2 Qd7 20. N2f3 Qe7 21. Ne2 {Black has an active position} Bf5 {Black has a very active position} (21... Nc4 22. Nf4 $11) 22. Nf4 $11 {White threatens to win material: Nf4xd5} Be4 23. Rfd1 {Increasing the pressure on the isolated pawn on d5} Qc5 ( 23... Nc4 $5 $11 {must definitely be considered}) 24. Ng5 $16 Bxg2 25. Kxg2 h6 26. Rxd5 Rxd5 27. Ne4 Qc4 28. Qxc4 Nxc4 29. Nxd5 Re8 30. Nef6+ gxf6 31. Nxf6+ Kf8 32. Nxe8 Kxe8 33. Rb1 Nd6 34. e4 b6 (34... Nxe4 $4 {the pawn is safe and
cannot be captured without dire consequences} 35. Re1 f5 36. f3 $18) 35. e5 Nb7 36. Rb4 Nc5 37. Rh4 Kf8 $2 (37... Ke7 $142 $16) 38. Rxh6 $18 Kg7 $2 (38... Ke7 39. Rh8 b5 $18) 39. Rc6 Nxa4 (39... Ne6 {doesn't change the outcome of the game} 40. c4 $18) 40. e6 1-0

 

White played 18.Nd2, releasing the bishop’s power onto the isolated d5 pawn with support from the queen at b3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same pressure is created again onto the d5 pawn when white played 23.Rfd1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After white played 40. e6, black resigned.

If black plays 40…fxe6, then white can play 41. Rc7+ winning the black bishop. Well played by GM Nakamura!