NWM Tan Li Ting - Jahongir Vakhidov : 1/2-1/2 DATMO Round 2

Tan Li Ting held Jahongir Vakhidov into a draw in round 2 of the 2011 DATMO ( Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysian Open).

NWM Tan Li Ting (1846) - Jahongir Vakhidov (2392)
Round 2, 18.8.2011, DATMO

Analyzed by Centaur (Hairulov+Houdini)

1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 Bg4 

This is unusual line in King's Indian Defense. Black's idea is to exert pressure on  d4 square.



7. O-O Nfd7 8. Be3 a6 Normally black continue with his plan of pressuring the d4 square with for e.g 8...Nc6 9.d5 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Nce5

9. Nd2 Bxe2 10. Qxe2 Nc6 11. Nb3 e6 12. Rac1 a5 13. a4 Re8 14. Rfd1 Nb4 15. f4 c6 16. e5 d5 17. cxd5 exd5 18. Qf2 f6 19. g3 Qe7 20. Rd2 Rf8 21. Qe2 Nb6 22. Re1? This is a mistake. 22. Rf1 is the correct move. 22...Nc4 23. Rdd1   

22... Nc4! 23. Rdd1 Nxe3?

Black missed a chance to win material with 23... fxe5! 24. dxe5 Nxe3 25. Qxe3 Nc2 Winning material. 

NWM Tan Li Ting

 24. exf6! Fortunately Li Ting amend his previous mistake with this move.  Of course 24. Qxe3 ? lost material after 24...Nc2 25. Qf2 Nxe1  

24... Bxf6 25. Qxe3 Now Nc2 is not dangerous because white is attacking black's queen

25...Qxe3+ 26. Rxe3 b6 27. Re2 Kf7 28. Kg2 Rfe8 29. Rdd2 Rxe2+ 30. Nxe2 Re8 31. Kf2 g5 32. Kf3 gxf4 33. gxf4 White create  a  passed pawn: f4  

33...Re4 34. Nbc1 c5?! Probably it is to early to push this pawn   

35. dxc5 bxc5 36. Nb3 Now all black's three pawns ( a5,c5 and d5) is vulnerable. 

36... Na6 37. Rxd5 Rxa4

Jahongir Vakhidov. Photo from chessbase.com

38. Nxc5 White missed a stronger move 38. Rd7+! Kf8 (38... Ke6 39. Ra7 Threatening Nxc5 forking black's king and rook.) 39. Ra7 Nb4 40. Nxc5 Ra2 41. b3

38... Nxc5 39. Rxc5 Bxb2 Now black  has a dangerous  passed pawn: a5  

40. Rc7+ Kg6 41. Rc6+ Bf6 42. Ng3 Kf7 43. Rc7+ Ke6 44. Rc6+ White can take the pawn and create another passed pawn ; h. For e.g 44. Rxh7 Ra1 45. Ra7 and the put his rook behind black's passed pawn.  

44... Kf7 45. Rc7+ Kf8 45... Kg6 46. Rc6 Threatening Ne4 pinning black's bishop.  

46. Rxh7 Ra1 47. Ra7 a4 48. Ne4 Bd4 49. Ra8+ Ke7 50. Kg4 Ke6 51. Ng5+ Kd5 52. h4 a3

Black's passed pawn looks strong but white also have two strong contender ( f and h passed pawn!)  

53. h5 Kc4 If 53... a2 54. Kf5 a typical hiding idea from a check from opponent  rook ( Rg4+ and later a=Q)  

54. Nf3 Bb2 55. Kf5 Rh1 56. Ne5+ Kb3 56... Bxe5 57. fxe5 Rxh5+ 58. Kg4 Rxe5 59. Rxa3 is dead draw.  

57. Rb8+ Kc2 58. Nc4 Rxh5+ Blunder is 58... a2 ?? 59. Rxb2+ Kc3 60. Rxa2 Kxc4 and black lose.  

59. Ke4 Rh4 59... Rh3 60. Ra8 Kb1 61. Rb8   

60. Rxb2+ axb2 61. Nxb2 Kxb2 White  sacrifice a rook to enter a theoretically known drawn endings.  

62. Ke5

In this ending, black only chance to win is if he can cut 0ff white's king from white's 3rank but here white's king is to far ahead.  

62...Rh5+ 62... Kc3 63. f5 Rh2 64. f6 Kc4 65. Ke6 Re2+ 66. Kd6 Kd4 67. f7 Rf2 68. Ke7  

63. f5 Kc3 64. Ke6 Kd4 65. f6 Rh6 66. Ke7 Ke5 67. f7 Re6+ 68. Kd7 Rd6+ 69. Ke7 Ra6 1/2-1/2

because after  70. f8=Q Ra7+ 71. Ke8 Ra8+ 72. Ke7 Rxf8 73. Kxf8 draw.