Today’s game is from the 2017 European Team Championships on the Isle of Crete. It’s the match-deciding, second-board game between Ian “Nepo’’ Nepomniachtchi and Viktor Laznicka in the third-round match between Russia and the Czech Republic, won by Russia, 2.5/4. Nepo is 27, Russia’s No. 7, and 26th in the world. Once considered an up and comer, he’s now just a solid world-class player. Laznicka is 29 and was once a contender to be the Czech Republic’s No. 1, but now he has to settle to be No. 2 behind David Navarra. In the game, Laznicka assays a variation that, according to one commentator, he has yet to even draw with. He falls victim to Nepo’s legendary preparation and soon becomes part of chess history. I must note that although Nepo was the hero of this match, he was the goat of the next one, losing his game and costing the Russians the match against Hungary. Glory can be fleeting.
2017 21st European Team, Hersonissos, Greece
Ian Nepomniachtchi (2733) — Viktor Laznicka (2654)
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 The Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann 3…Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Ne7 8.0–0 Nbc6 9.Bb5 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 10...Nxc6 11.Nxf5 exf5 12.c3 Be7 13.Nd2 Nxe5 14.Bd4 with an initiative for the pawn, Shirov–Laznicka, 2012 11.c4 With Black behind in development, White tries to open as many lines as possible 11...Qd7 12.Nc3 dxc4 13.Na4 13.Nb6 is the threat and 13.Nc5 is not bad either. 13...Nd5 13...Rb8 doesn’t help: 14.Nb6 Qc7 15.Nxc4 Nd5 16.Nxf5 exf5 17.Bd4 with a plus 14.Nxf5 exf5 15.Rc1 c3 15…Nxe3 throws Black into a poor position after 15...Nxe3 16.Qxd7+ Kxd7 17.fxe3 Ke6 18.Rxc4 Rc8 19.Rfc1 c5 20.b4 g6 21.Nxc5+ Bxc5 22.Rxc5 Rxc5 23.Rxc5 which is close to a winning endgame for White 16.Qc2!? Apparently a new move. 16.Nxc3 had been seen before 16...Be7 If 16...cxb2 17.Qxb2 and Black cannot finish his kingside development, i.e.; 17...Be7 18.e6! Qxe6 19.Qxg7 Bf6 20.Qh6 with a plus 17.Nxc3 Nxe3 17...Nxc3?! 18.Qxc3 leaves Black suffering (weak pawns) for nothing; or 17...0–0 If 18.Nxd5 cxd5.Qc6 Qe6 20.Qxe6 fxe6 21.Rc7 when White is the only one having any fun. 18.fxe3 Bg5?! Wasting time better was 18...g6; if 18...Rb8 19.b3 g6 20.e4 19.Rce1 g6 Now all Black needs to do is castle and he is fine but...20.g4! Opening more lines. Though White’s king seems a little drafty, it’s really quite safe. 20...fxg4 Or20...0–0 21.gxf5 Qe7 22.Qg2 Bh4 23.Re2 Qxe5 24.Qxc6 with an extra pawn. 21.Ne4 Now things get real dicey for Black as not only does the knight hit the bishop but also d6 and f6. 21...Be7 22.Rd1 Another tempo for White, and Black is still not castled. 22...Qc8 22...Qb7 23.e6! 0–0 24.Rd7 Qb4 25.a3 wins the bishop; 22...Qe6? drops a rook after 23.Nd6+! Bxd6 24.Qxc6+ Ke7 25.exd6+ Kf8 26.Qxa8+ 23.e6! More open lines 23...fxe6 Black holds for a while with 23...Qxe6 24.Nd6+! Bxd6 25.Qxc6+ Ke7 26.Qb7+ Kf8 27.Qxa8+ Kg7 28.Qd5 Qxe3+ 29.Kh1 Bb8 30.Rxf7+ Kh6; If 23...0–0 24.exf7+ Rxf7 25.Rxf7 Kxf7 26.Rf1+ Kg7 27.Qc3+ Kh6 28.Rf7 Bf8 29.Qh8 Kh5 30.Rxh7+ Bh6 31.Rxh6# 24.Qc3 Rf8 24…Rg8 loses to 25.Nf6+ Bxf6 26.Qxf6 Ra7 27.Rd8+ Qxd8 28.Qxe6+ Qe7 (Or 28...Re7 29.Qxg8+ Kd7 30.Rd1+) 29.Qxg8+ Kd7 30.Rf7. Note how truly wonderful White’s knight is. Knights do love those central squares! 25.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25...Kxf8 26.Qh8+ Kf7 27.Rf1+ Bf6 28.Rxf6+ Ke7 29.Qg7+ Kd8 30.Rf8# 26.Qh8 There are too many threats here, 26.Nd6+ being the main one, and Black, in a way, chooses self-immolation to resigning. 26...Ke7 27.Qxh7+ Ke8 28.Nf6#; 1–0
Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail.com.
