Today’s game is from the 10th round of the 2017 Tata Steel event in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. It’s between Levon Aronian of Armenia and Hungarian youngster Richard Rapport. The game tells the tale of the crosstable and of revenge. For the crosstable, we see Aronian near the top and Rapport next to the bottom. The revenge belongs to Aronian, who was beaten badly this past November by Rapport at the European Club Cup Championships. A game that some felt was the best of 2016. Turnabout is fair play, and so some may consider today’s game the best of 2017.
2017 Tata Steel, Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands
Levon Aronian, (2780) — Richard Rapport, (2702)
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Avoiding the Nimzo-Indian and heading to the Queen’s Indian Defense 3...b64.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0–0 0–0 7.Nc3 Ne4 8.Bd2 A rare line but one that Wesley So tried against Rapport earlier in the tournament. We are sure that Aronian took a look at that game. 8...Bf6 9.Be1!? Wesley tried 9.Rc1. Though awkward looking, saving this bishop has many good points to it. 9...Re8?! A novelty which I and others don’t understand. In any case, it’s probably not good as Black struggles from here on to the end of the game. 9...c5 is the better choice. 10.Qc2 d5?! 10...Nxc3 is better when after 11.Bxc3 d6 12.Rad1 Nd7 13.e4 e5 14.Rfe1 Qe7 15.b4 White is only slightly better. Now Black gets into trouble on the d-file and on both long diagonals. 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Nd2 Bxd4 or 12...Qxd4 13.Nxe4 Bc6 14.Bc3 (or 14.Rb1 Be7 15.b4) 14...Qxc4 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.b3 Qc5 17.e4 When it’s thought that White has more than enough for the pawn. 13.Rd1 Compelling Black’s queen to move. 13...Qc8 or 13...Bc5 14.Nxe4 Qe7 15.Ng5 Qxg5 16.Bxb7; or 13…Qe7 14.Nxe4 Nc6 (14…Bc5 fails again to 15.Ng5) 15.e3 Be5 16.f4 Bd6 17.Ng5 f5 18.Nxe6 with a plus for White 14.Nxe4 Bc5 or 14...Be5 15.f4 Bd6 16.Rxd6 cxd6 17.Nxd6 Qc5+ 18.Bf2 Qxd6 19.Bxb7 is better for White 15.Ng5! Attack! 15...f5 15…g6 is just too weakening of those black squares around the king.16.Bxb7 Qxb7 17.Bc3 Bf8 if 17...Nc6 then 18.Rd7 Bf8 19.e4 Nb8 20.exf5 Nxd7 21.fxe6 g6 22.exd7 should be winning. 18.e4 h6 18...fxe4 19.Rfe1 Be7 20.Nxe6 Nd7 21.Rxd7 Qc6 22.Qxe4 Qxd7 23.Nxg7 19.exf5!! A very nice piece sacrifice based more on intuition than calculation or so it seems to me. In any case, Black is probably lost now. 19...hxg5 or 19...exf5 20.Rfe1! Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 hxg5 22.Qxf5 Qc6 23.Qxg5 Nd7 24.Re7 Nf6 25.Bxf6 Qxf6 26.Qd5+ Kh7 27.Re4 Rd8 28.Rh4+ 20.f6! With the idea of Qg6 and f7. Black’s lack of development is disastrous. 20...c5 20...gxf6 21.Qg6+ Bg7 22.Qxe8+; 20...Nc6 21.Qg6 Nd8 22.Rd7 should win 21.f4 More open lines, please! 21...g4 22.f5 gxf6 If 22...e5 then White’s second f-pawn should decide the game: 23.fxg7 Qxg7 24.f6 Qf7 25.Qe4 Na6 26.Qxg4+ Kh8 27.Rd7 23.fxe6 Qh7 23...Rxe6 24.Qg6+ Qg7 25.Qf5 Qf7 26.Rd8 (26.Qxg4+ also wins) with a winning attack 24.Qg2 Na6 Forced to save the rook but it is definitely on the wrong side of the board. 25.Rd7 The beginning of the end for Black. 25...Qh5 25...Re7 26.Qxa8; 25...Be7 26.Bxf6 26.Rxf6 Rad8 27.Rxf8+ The computer prefers 27.Qd5 Qxd5 (27...Rxd7 28.exd7+ Qxd5 29.dxe8Q Qd1+ 30.Rf1 Qxf1+ 31.Kxf1 Nb4 32.Qg6+ Bg7 33.Qxg7#) 28.Rg6+ Bg7 29.Rdxg7+ Kh8 30.Rh6# but that is a machine idea, humans like “check, check mate’’ lines better. 27…Kxf828.Qf1+; 1-0 as after 28…Kg8 there is no stopping mate: 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Rg5+ Rd4 (30...Kh7 31.Qf5+ Kh6 32.Rxh5#) 31.Qf6+ Kh7 32.Qg7#
Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail.com.
