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Chess notes
By Chris Chase

To my mind, the challengers group at Tata Steel (TataSteelChess.com) is one of the most interesting tournaments in the world. The organizers choose just the right mix of players to ensure an exciting event. The field is young ambitious players, with a gentle sprinkle of older players to provide, perhaps, a sense of stability but more likely to provide cannon fodder for the youngsters.

 Today’s game pits one of those youngest, Gujrathi Santosh Vidit of India, against the veteran Polish GM Michael Krasenkow. In the game, White reaches a known position (of sorts) which Black, believing he has attacking chances against White’s king, avoids a queen exchange, However, it’s his king that ends up being attacked, resulting in a winning assault.

 2018 80th Tata Steel, Challenger’s Group, Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands

Gujrathi Vidit (2718) — Michal Krasenkow (2671)

 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 The Sicilian Four Knights 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.Ne4 Qc7 9.f4 Qb6 10.c4 Bb4+ 11.Ke2 Though White’s king looks shaky, it is perfectly safe here given Black’s lack of development. And besides, any other move just loses a pawn. 11...f5 12.exf6 Nxf6 13.Be3 Not precise is13.Nxf6+ gxf6 14.Be3 Bc5 and White doesn’t get the developing tempo 13...Qd8 If 13...Qc7 14.Nxf6+ gxf6 15.c5 (Threatens to trap the bishop after a3 and b4) d6 16.Qxd6 Qxd6 17.cxd6 Bxd6 and given Black’s terrible pawn structure, White has a large advantage. 14.Nd6+ Bxd6 15.Qxd6 Qe7 16.Bc5 This has all been seen before but here Black bit the bullet and accepted the worse but probably holdable endgame with 16...Qxd6. and then after 17.Bxd6 Ne4 18.Ba3? (18.Be5 is better, keeping the bishop active and White’s advantage) and the game was drawn after 54 moves. Keeping the queens on just makes Black’s life that much more difficult, as his king is a constant target of White’s queen 16...Qf7? 17.Ke3! Can’t let Black have Ne4 now, can we? 17...g5 17...Ng4+ is just a waste of time after 18.Kf3 18.Be2 g4 a cute line is 18...gxf4+ 19.Qxf4 h5 20.Rhf1 Ng4+ 21.Bxg4 Qxf4+ 22.Rxf4 hxg4 23.Raf1 d5 24.Rf7 g3 25.Re7+ Kd8 26.Rff7 gxh2 27.Bd6 d4+ 28.Ke4 Bb7 29.Bc7+ Kc8 30.Be5 h1Q 31.Rc7+ Kd8 32.Bf6+ Ke8 33.Rce7+ Kd8 34.Rxb7+ Ke8 35.Rbe7+ Kd8 36.Rxa7+ Ke8 37.Rfe7+ Kd8 38.Rxa8#19.Rac1!? One of those very deep “mysterious’’ rook moves but in this case it is a mystery to both me and all the engines. More to the point is 19.h3 gxh3 20.Rxh3 Rg8 21.Bf3 Ba6 22.b3 Bb7 23.Qc7 Bb7 24.Rd1 with a large plus 19...h5 20.Rc3 Qg7 21.Bd3 Kf7 22.Kd2 Heading for safety on the queenside before starting action against Black’s king. This isn’t really necessary but given Black’s inability to do anything, it all works out in the end. 22.Qe7+ Kg8 23.h3 g3 24.Qd8+ Kf7 25.Qc7 h4 26.Rf1 is a more aggressive way to play the position 22...Re8 23.Re1 Qh6 24.Kc2 a5 25.Re5 Nh7? A blunder but Black is so tied up there is not much left to do. Not 25...Qxf4 26.Be3 Qxh2 27.Bg6+ Kxg6 (27...Kg7 28.Bxe8 Nxe8 29.Qe7+ Kh8 30.Qxe8+)28.Rg5+ Kf7 29.Qxh2 26.Rf5+ Always check the checks! 26...Kg8 26...Nf6 27.Rg5 h4 28.Bg6+ Qxg6+ 29.Rxg6 Kxg6 30.Qe5 should be winning 27.Qe5 The threat is now 28.Rxh5. Black could keep playing with 27...exf5 but after 28.Qxe8+ Nf8 29.Bxf8 Qxf8 30.Qxh5 White wins a pawn with more to come, so, Black decided to end the pain; 1–0

Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail.com.