<p>Double-edged volatile positions in a game of chess have to be very cautiously handled, especially in open positions.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Generally in open positions, the pawns are not blocked and the bishops, rooks and queen enjoy easy mobility and this makes the game dangerous. In such positions there is action on virtually every square and calculations cause a major headache. The ensuing game is one where there are plenty of possibilities and White is first in the driver’s seat, then can battle it out for a draw but ends on the losing side after a few mistakes.<br /><br />White: Alexei Shirov (2734) – Black: Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu,L (2584) <br />FIDE-Wch , Las Vegas ,1999<br />Caro Kann Defence<br />1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 <br />The Caro-Kann Defence<br />3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3. White can also play 4.Nf3 or 4.h4<br />4...e6 <br />If 4...Qb6 5.Nf3 . 5.g4 Bg6 6.Nge2 c5<br />If 6...Ne7 7.Nf4. 7.h4 h6 <br />If 7...h5 8.Nf4 Bh7 9.Nxh5 cxd4 10.Nb5. 8.f4<br />The game is shaping up with a formidable pawn front <br />8...Be7 9.Bg2 <br />If 9.h5 Bh4+ 10.Kd2 Bh7. 9...Bxh4+ 10.Kf1 Be7<br />Retreating back! If 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.f5 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bh7 14.Nb5<br />11.f5 Bh7. If 11...exf5 12.Nxd5 fxg4 13.Nef4<br />12.Nf4 Qd7. If 12...cxd4 13.fxe6 dxc3 14.exf7+ Kxf7 15.Qxd5+ nets an exchange<br />13.Nh5. A novelty! If 13.Ncxd5 exd5 14.Nxd5 (14.Bxd5 Bg5) 14...Nc6 15.Bf4 0–0–0 16.c3 Bg5 17.Bxg5 hxg5 18.Qa4 Kb8 and Black is better <br />13...Bf8. If 13...Kf8 14.fxe6 Qxe6 (14...fxe6 15.Qf3+) 15.Bxd5 Qa6+ 16.Kg2<br />14.dxc5 Nc6. If 14...exf5 15.Qxd5 Nc6 16.Nb5 0–0–0 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.exd6 fxg4 19.Bd2 And if 14...g6 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Nf6+ Nxf6 17.exf6 g5 18.Qe2 <br />15.Nb5 Bxc5<br />If 15...Nxe5 16.Qe2. 16.c4 . A surprising resource! If 16.Nxg7+ Kf8 17.Nh5 Nxe5 18.Qe2 Nxg4! 19.Qxg4 Qxb5+ <br />16...Nxe5 17.Qe2 <br />If 17.Bf4 Nxc4 18.Nc7+ Qxc7! 19.Bxc7 Ne3+. 17...Nxc4<br />If [17...dxc4 18.Qxe5 Qxb5 19.Nxg7+ Ke7 20.Be3 and White is stronger. 18.Bxd5 Qxb5<br />It definitely is a wild game with lot of things happening on board. If 18...Nd2+ 19.Bxd2 0–0–0 20.Nf4 exd5 <br />19.Bxc4 Qb6 20.fxe6. Better appears 20.Nxg7+ Kf8 21.Nh5 Qc6 22.Rh3 …fe6<br />20...0–0–0<br />After being dangerously exposed on the original square, the King seeks shelter by castling on queen-side<br />21.exf7. This pawn well advanced to the seventh rank is White’s hope of pushing for a win. If 21.Bf4 Rd4 <br />21...Ne7. 22.Qe6+ 22...Kb8 <br />If 22...Qxe6 23.Bxe6+ Kb8 24.Bf4+ Ka8. 23.Bf4+ <br />If 23.Nxg7 Rd1+ . 23...Ka8 24.Qxb6 <br />If 24.Nxg7 Qxb2. 24...axb6 25.Be5 <br />If 25.Nxg7 Rd4 26.Ne6 Rxc4 27.Be5 (27.Bxh6 Bd3+ 28.Ke1 Ng6). 25...Rhf8 26.Ke2. A wrong move! White miscalculates and this move probably costs him the game. White should have played 26.Bxg7 Bd3+ 27.Bxd3 Rxf7+ 28.Bf5<br />26...Nd5 <br />Diagram 1<br />27.Rhf1. The decisive mistake. Now the game swings in black’s favour. If 27.Rhd1 Rxf7 28.Rxd5 Rxd5 29.Bxd5 Re7. 27...Ne3–+ 28.Bb5 <br />If 28.Bxg7 Nxc4 29.Bxf8 Bd3+ 30.Ke1 Rxf8. 28...Nxf1 29.Rxf1 Bg6 30.Rf4 Bd6 31.Bxd6 Rxd6 32.Bc4 <br />If 32.Be8 Re6+ 33.Kf3 Re7<br />32...b5 33.Bb3 <br />If 33.Bxb5 Rxf7 34.Rxf7 Bxf7 35.Nxg7 Bxa2. 33...Bd3+ 34.Ke3 g5 35.Rf2 <br />If 35.Rf6 Rxf6 36.Nxf6 Bc4 <br />35...Bc4 36.Bxc4 bxc4 37.Ke4 Rd7 38.Rf6 Rfxf7 39.Rxh6 Rfe7+ 40.Kf5 Rd5+ 41.Kg6 Re2 a . 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qxf8+ Kxf8 2.Rb8 checkmate.<br /><br /><br /></p>
<p>Double-edged volatile positions in a game of chess have to be very cautiously handled, especially in open positions.<br /><br /></p>.<p> Generally in open positions, the pawns are not blocked and the bishops, rooks and queen enjoy easy mobility and this makes the game dangerous. In such positions there is action on virtually every square and calculations cause a major headache. The ensuing game is one where there are plenty of possibilities and White is first in the driver’s seat, then can battle it out for a draw but ends on the losing side after a few mistakes.<br /><br />White: Alexei Shirov (2734) – Black: Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu,L (2584) <br />FIDE-Wch , Las Vegas ,1999<br />Caro Kann Defence<br />1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 <br />The Caro-Kann Defence<br />3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3. White can also play 4.Nf3 or 4.h4<br />4...e6 <br />If 4...Qb6 5.Nf3 . 5.g4 Bg6 6.Nge2 c5<br />If 6...Ne7 7.Nf4. 7.h4 h6 <br />If 7...h5 8.Nf4 Bh7 9.Nxh5 cxd4 10.Nb5. 8.f4<br />The game is shaping up with a formidable pawn front <br />8...Be7 9.Bg2 <br />If 9.h5 Bh4+ 10.Kd2 Bh7. 9...Bxh4+ 10.Kf1 Be7<br />Retreating back! If 10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.f5 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bh7 14.Nb5<br />11.f5 Bh7. If 11...exf5 12.Nxd5 fxg4 13.Nef4<br />12.Nf4 Qd7. If 12...cxd4 13.fxe6 dxc3 14.exf7+ Kxf7 15.Qxd5+ nets an exchange<br />13.Nh5. A novelty! If 13.Ncxd5 exd5 14.Nxd5 (14.Bxd5 Bg5) 14...Nc6 15.Bf4 0–0–0 16.c3 Bg5 17.Bxg5 hxg5 18.Qa4 Kb8 and Black is better <br />13...Bf8. If 13...Kf8 14.fxe6 Qxe6 (14...fxe6 15.Qf3+) 15.Bxd5 Qa6+ 16.Kg2<br />14.dxc5 Nc6. If 14...exf5 15.Qxd5 Nc6 16.Nb5 0–0–0 17.Nd6+ Bxd6 18.exd6 fxg4 19.Bd2 And if 14...g6 15.fxe6 fxe6 16.Nf6+ Nxf6 17.exf6 g5 18.Qe2 <br />15.Nb5 Bxc5<br />If 15...Nxe5 16.Qe2. 16.c4 . A surprising resource! If 16.Nxg7+ Kf8 17.Nh5 Nxe5 18.Qe2 Nxg4! 19.Qxg4 Qxb5+ <br />16...Nxe5 17.Qe2 <br />If 17.Bf4 Nxc4 18.Nc7+ Qxc7! 19.Bxc7 Ne3+. 17...Nxc4<br />If [17...dxc4 18.Qxe5 Qxb5 19.Nxg7+ Ke7 20.Be3 and White is stronger. 18.Bxd5 Qxb5<br />It definitely is a wild game with lot of things happening on board. If 18...Nd2+ 19.Bxd2 0–0–0 20.Nf4 exd5 <br />19.Bxc4 Qb6 20.fxe6. Better appears 20.Nxg7+ Kf8 21.Nh5 Qc6 22.Rh3 …fe6<br />20...0–0–0<br />After being dangerously exposed on the original square, the King seeks shelter by castling on queen-side<br />21.exf7. This pawn well advanced to the seventh rank is White’s hope of pushing for a win. If 21.Bf4 Rd4 <br />21...Ne7. 22.Qe6+ 22...Kb8 <br />If 22...Qxe6 23.Bxe6+ Kb8 24.Bf4+ Ka8. 23.Bf4+ <br />If 23.Nxg7 Rd1+ . 23...Ka8 24.Qxb6 <br />If 24.Nxg7 Qxb2. 24...axb6 25.Be5 <br />If 25.Nxg7 Rd4 26.Ne6 Rxc4 27.Be5 (27.Bxh6 Bd3+ 28.Ke1 Ng6). 25...Rhf8 26.Ke2. A wrong move! White miscalculates and this move probably costs him the game. White should have played 26.Bxg7 Bd3+ 27.Bxd3 Rxf7+ 28.Bf5<br />26...Nd5 <br />Diagram 1<br />27.Rhf1. The decisive mistake. Now the game swings in black’s favour. If 27.Rhd1 Rxf7 28.Rxd5 Rxd5 29.Bxd5 Re7. 27...Ne3–+ 28.Bb5 <br />If 28.Bxg7 Nxc4 29.Bxf8 Bd3+ 30.Ke1 Rxf8. 28...Nxf1 29.Rxf1 Bg6 30.Rf4 Bd6 31.Bxd6 Rxd6 32.Bc4 <br />If 32.Be8 Re6+ 33.Kf3 Re7<br />32...b5 33.Bb3 <br />If 33.Bxb5 Rxf7 34.Rxf7 Bxf7 35.Nxg7 Bxa2. 33...Bd3+ 34.Ke3 g5 35.Rf2 <br />If 35.Rf6 Rxf6 36.Nxf6 Bc4 <br />35...Bc4 36.Bxc4 bxc4 37.Ke4 Rd7 38.Rf6 Rfxf7 39.Rxh6 Rfe7+ 40.Kf5 Rd5+ 41.Kg6 Re2 a . 0–1<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qxf8+ Kxf8 2.Rb8 checkmate.<br /><br /><br /></p>
