Syukuraliev’s Shock Win Against Le Quang Liem

25 November 2010, Kuala Lumpur – In round 5, Vietnam crashed to a shock defeat to Kyrgyzstan losing 3.5-0.5. Here is the board 1 game between the highly fancied Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem against an untitled Kyrgyzstan player, Shukuraliev Algis of Kyrgyzstan.

The Queen’s Gambit Declined opening transpired during the game.

[Event "Asian Games - Team Standard chess - Men"]
[Site "Guangzhou"]
[Date "2010.11.22"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Shukuraliev, Algis"]
[Black "Le, Quang Liem"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D35"]

{D35: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 Bf5 8. Bd3 Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Nbd7 10. O-O O-O 11. Rab1 a5 {last book move} 12. Rfe1 Ne4 13. Bxe7 ({Weaker is} 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Bxe7 Qxe7 $19 (14... exd3 {is no comparison} 15. Bxd8 Rfxd8 16. Rbd1 $16)) 13... Qxe7 14. Nd2 f5 15. f3 {White threatens to win material: f3xe4} Nd6 16. f4 {White has a new backward pawn: e3} (16. e4 fxe4 17. fxe4 dxe4 18. Ncxe4 Rae8 $11) 16... Kh8 17. Nf3 Nf6 18. Re2 Rg8 19. Rf1 g6 20. Ne5 g5 (20... Nfe4 21. Nxe4 Nxe4 22. Rf3 $11) 21. a3 Nh5 (21... g4 22. g3 $11) 22. g3 Nf6 23. Rc2
Nfe4 24. Nxe4 Nxe4 {The knight dominates} 25. fxg5 Rxg5 26. Rg2 Qe6 27. Rf4 Rf8 28. Qf1 Rf6 29. Qf3 c5 30. a4 Rg7 31. h4 (31. Rc2 c4 $11) 31... c4 {This push gains space} (31... Qc8 32. g4 fxg4 33. Rgxg4 $11) 32. Kh2 $11 Rg8 33. Qh5 { The isolani on f5 becomes a target} Nd6 34. g4 fxg4 35. Rfxg4 Rxg4 36. Nxg4 Rg6 37. Ne5 {Menacing} Rxg2+ 38. Kxg2 Qf5 {Black threatens to win material: Qf5xh5} 39. Qf3 {White threatens to win material: Qf3xd5} Kg7 (39... Qe4 $142 $11 {the rescuing straw}) 40. Qxd5 $18 Qc2+ $4 {Black falls apart} (40... Ne4 41. Qxb7+ Kf8 42. Qb8+ Ke7 43. Nc6+ Kd7 44. Qc8+ Kxc8 45. Ne7+ Kd7 46. Nxf5 c3 47. bxc3 Nxc3 $16) 41. Kg3 Nf5+ (41... Ne4+ 42. Kf4 Qf2+ 43. Kxe4 Qxh4+ 44. Kf5 Qh3+ 45.
Kf4 Qh2+ 46. Kg4 h5+ 47. Kg5 Qg3+ 48. Kxh5 Qh3+ 49. Kg5 Qxe3+ 50. Kg4 Qg1+ 51. Kf5 Qb1+ 52. Ke6 $18) 42. Kf4 (42. Kh3 $142 {secures the point} Nh6 43. Qxb7+ Kf6 44. Qc6+ Kg7 45. Qc7+ Kh8 46. Qd8+ Ng8 47. Qf8 $18) 42... Qf2+ 43. Qf3 Qxf3+ 44. Nxf3 Nd6 (44... Ne7 45. Ke5 $18) 45. Ke5 (45. Nd2 $5 {makes it even easier for White} c3 46. bxc3 b5 47. axb5 Nxb5 $18) 45... c3 46. bxc3 (46. Kxd6 $4 {if White takes the knight he will lose} c2 47. e4 c1=Q $19) 46... Nc4+ 47. Ke6 b5 $4 {the pressure is too much, Black crumbles} (47... Nb6 $142 $18) 48. axb5 a4 49. Ne1 a3 50. Nc2 a2 51. Na1 Kf8 (51... Nb6 52. Kd6 Nc4+ 53. Kc6 $18)
52. Kd7 Nb6+ (52... Kf7 $18 {is the last straw}) 53. Kc6 Nc4 54. b6 Na5+ 55. Kc7 Ke7 56. d5 1-0

 

The Queen’s Gambit Declined opening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An isolated f5 pawn created. After white played 33. Qh5, the pawn f5 is attacked twice by white and defended twice by black. White intends to bring the g3 pawn into play forward to g4 to attack the f5 pawn thrice. Winning the attack.

White was able to win three extra black pawns in the ensuing attack and counter blows from Black.

 

By move 56, White has stopped black’s only queening threat by placing the knight at a1 preventing the black a-pawn to advance. The white king is strategically positioned at c7, gaining control of b8 and d8 queening squares. While the other four white passed pawns are too menacing a threat. White played 56.d5, and if black plays 56…Kf6, then 57. d6 advancing to its destination. If the d pawn fails, then the b, c and e pawns are there to pick up the slack.

With such a menacing attack by the pawns, black surrendered to the hopelessness of the endgame battle. The win by Shukuraliev on board 1 against Vietnam, cascaded into more wins on two other boards giving Kyrgyzstan a surprise massive win 3.5-0.5 against the highly fancied Vietnamese chess team.