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Vladimir Kramnik vs Alexander Morozevich
Petrosian Memorial (2014), Moscow RUS, rd 6, Nov-10
Bogo-Indian Defense: Grünfeld Variation (E11)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Penguincw: Strange week. I missed the Monday and Tuesday puzzle, but got the Wednesday and Thursday. What's in store today?

Anyway, I missed today. My thought was 31.h7+, but that doesn't work out.

Looking at the solution, if you get the first move, the rest is pretty straight forward. I'm sure anyone here would be able to win from 31...Qxh3 OTB.

Dec-04-15  diagonalley: <diagonalley>: nul points :-(
Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: Starting from the position shown I got white's first three moves, and I'm sure I wouldn't have missed 34. Rg6+.

But the key move in the attack, 23. Rxf6, occurred ten moves earlier. That one was way above my pay grade.

Dec-04-15  nalinw: I thought of Knight moving back and protecting the Rook as well as opening the g file - but only considered Nf3 - which allows Qxh6.
Dec-04-15  Ehrenfest: I had 31. Nf3 to bring in the white queen as well after 31. ... ef3x but that fails on 31. ...Qh6x.
Dec-04-15  kubbybulin: Armed with cigarettes, coffee, notebook, and real
wooden chess set I could not for the life of me find N-R3!. I tried everything I could see in my head...nothing. Then I started moving the pieces around...nothing. Brutal. Beautiful game by Kramnik and excellent puzzle by CG. I look forward to tomorrow.
Dec-04-15  cocker: Black should play 31 ... Ne8
Dec-04-15  gofer: I think I have seen this one before...

<31 Nh3 ...>

31 ... Qxh3
32 Rxg7+ Kh8
33 Bxf6

White threatens the "windmill of death"...

<32 ... g6>

This seems the only way to keep the g and h files closed, but its a high price to pay!

<33 Bxf6 Re6>
<34 Bg7 Rd8>
<35 Bg4 Qxc2+>
<36 Kxc2 Red6>
<37 Bc3>


click for larger view

White is winning...

Dec-04-15  morfishine: <31.Nh3> threatens 32.Rxg7+ followed by 33.Bxf6; visually, I don't see what Black can do about this

*****

Dec-04-15  Sularus: Nh3.

I usually get stumped starting Fridays, hell even Thursdays. But today's Nh3 seems so natural.

Awesome.

Dec-04-15  Cheapo by the Dozen: I got the game line, easily, and I'd have played 31 Nh3 over the board at any game speed.

But I didn't see a straightforward win after 31 ... Ne8.

Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  gawain: Put me in the small group that failed while futilely trying to make 31 Nf3 work. I was too much in love with the idea that when Black captures with 31...ef3 it unblocks the b1-h7 diagonal for the White queen.

I never even considered the very logical 31 Nh3 which does it all: protects the hanging rook AND prevents the Black queen from capturing the h6 pawn AND opens up the g-file for White's own rook.

Dec-04-15  agb2002: White has a bishop for a rook.

Black threatens 31... Qxg1+.

The first idea that comes to mind is 31.Nf3, with the double threat 32.Nxh2 and 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Bxf6, but after 31... Qxh6 (31... exf3 32.Rxg2+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kg8 34.Bxf6 Qg1+ (34... fxe2 35.Rh8#) 35.Bd1 Qxd1+ 36.Kxd1 wins) Black threatens 32... exf3 and 32... Qxe3+.

These details suggest 31.Nh3:

A) 31... Qxh3 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Bxf6 with the double threat 34.Rg3+ and 34.Bxe7 looks very bad for Black.

B) 31... g6 32.Bxf6 Re6 33.Qc3

B.1) 33... Qxe2 34.h7+ Kxh7 35.Ng5+ followed by 36.Rh1 wins.

B.2) 33... Qxh3 34.Bg5 f6 35.Bg5 Qh2 36.Bxe6+ seems to win a piece at least.

C) 31... Ne8 32.hxg7 Qxh3 33.gxf8=Q+ and White has recovered the exchange while keeping the bishop pair with a much better position.

That's all I can do today.

Dec-04-15  kevin86: The brilliant knight retreat/sacrifice lures the queen away, gets the knight the heck out of the way, and allows the attack to move forward.
Dec-04-15  thegoodanarchist: I thought 31.Nf3?, and after looking at the game move wondered why I didn't consider Nh3 instead, to prevent capture of the knight by pawn.
Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  pittpanther: I also am struggling to see the clear win for white after 31. Nh3 Ne8 32. hg Qxh3. I presume white's best is gxf8 but after Kxf8 I am not sure that white is clearly winning.
Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimfromprovidence: I saw 31 Nh3 but it looks difficult after 31...g6 32 Bxf6 Qxh3.


click for larger view

If 33 Bxe7, then 33...Qxe3+ wins back the rook with check.

If 33 h7+, then after 33...Kxh7, the same threat exists for black.


click for larger view

Dec-04-15  beenthere240: I think Jim done busted this puzzle.
Dec-04-15  DWINS: <Jimfromprovidence, beenthere240>, Stockfish gives 31...g6
32.Bxf6 Qxh3
33.h7+ Kxh7

33...Qxh7 is better, but 34.Bxe7 gives White a big advantage (7.24)

34.Qd1! with a huge advantage (14.26)

If 34...Qxe3+
35.Kb1 g5
36.Bxe7 and Black is completely busted (52.03)

Dec-04-15  BOSTER: In the pos black to play 21...
he'd play Be4 to stop the threat on h7.


click for larger view

Dec-04-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimfromprovidence: <DWINS> <Stockfish gives 31...g6 32.Bxf6 Qxh3
33.h7+ Kxh7

33...Qxh7 is better, but 34.Bxe7 gives White a big advantage (7.24)

34.Qd1! with a huge advantage (14.26)

If 34...Qxe3+
35.Kb1 g5
36.Bxe7 and Black is completely busted (52.03)>

Yes 34 Qd1 stops the threat 34...Qxe3+ and also sets up the threat for white of 35 Rh1.

There's a bit more to the solution though. Black can play 34...Rd7, which stops 35 Rh1.


click for larger view

It's only after 35 Qe1 that white is in the clear.


click for larger view

Dec-04-15  mel gibson: Black with DR4 64 bit doesn't take the Knight on h3
but instead moves 31...Ne8.

Black lasts much longer then - right down to an end game.

Still - I didn't see the great move at 31. Nh3

DR4 64 bit saw that move with 1 second time & also the same at 100 seconds & depth 19 with score +1.96.

Dec-05-15  WDenayer: I thought that this was easy (for a Thursday). The rook is attacked. You can defend it with Qd1, but that is not a great move, it does not feel good, it's just not correct. You can play the R away, but it stands great on the g file. Aside from the attack on the R, Black has nothing in this position. The pawn on h6 and the R on g1 give it away: move the N and the Black K will be in mortal danger. Move it to h3, the pawn on h6 is important and Black has no time to take it. There is nothing else in this position.
Dec-05-15  CHESSTTCAMPS: White has a dark-squared bishop for a rook, which happens to be a very strong piece in this attacking position. Black's obvious weak spot is g7, with two white pieces indirectly targetting that spot. It makes sense to turn the rook's indirect attack into a direct attack with

31.Nh3!

This parries black's threat of 31... Qxg1+, threatens 32.Rxg7, and prevents 31... Qxh6 (the key advantage over 31.Nf3, my first candidate). There is no satisfactory way to prevent white from setting up a destructive windmill:

A. 31... Qxh3 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Bxf6 Qf5 (Qh1+? 34.Rg1+) 34.Bxe7 Re8 35.Qc3! Rxe7 36.Rg5+ wins the Q.

A.1 33... Qe6 34.Qc3 and the threats of Bxe7 and Bg4-f5 are winning.

A.2 33... Qc8 33.Bg4 Qc6 34.Qc3 Re6 35.Bxe6 Qxe6 36.Rf7+ Kg8 37.Rxf8+ Kxf8 38.h7 wins.

B. 31... Re6 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Bxf6 Rxf6 34.Qc3! Qxe2 35.Qxf6 Qxe3+ 36.Kb1 Qd3+ 37.Ka1 Qd1+ 38.Ka2 and black can't stop Rg8+ forcing mate.

C. 31... g6 32.Bxf6 Re6 33.Bc3 is winning

Time for review...

Oct-06-23  Mathematicar: Almost a decade later and this game still shines.
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