This month we present an excerpt from The Chess Evolution Weekly Purchases from our

Newsletter #05. CEWN is released every Friday of the week, the chess shop help keep
newsletter contains twenty-plus pages of great chess material written by ChessCafe.com freely
top grandmasters Arkadij Naiditsch and Csaba Balogh. accessible:

The Spanish Main Line with 6.d3

by Arkadij Naiditsch

We are both playing on the European Individual Championship in Plovdiv.

The tournament is very strong again, with 100 players above 2600 rating.
Chess There are twenty-three qualification places for the World Cup. The finish will
be very exciting, we both try to do our best to have a nice result.
Evolution
As we have promised, we present you some of our games, so we can share
Arkadij Naiditsch with you not only analysis, but our feelings and calculations during the game CEWN 05
as well. by Arkadij Naiditsch

Naiditsch, Arkadij (2702) – Sokolov, I (2653)

ECC 2012 Plovdiv (6), 25.03.2012
Ruy Lopez [C84]
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We are in the sixth round of the European Championship. Ivan and I have a
good 4/5 points in the standings. I was preparing myself for a very fighting
game – like every game of Ivan Sokolov, who is playing very exciting chess
and is trying to "push" in almost any kind position.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

Ivan wrote a great book on Spanish Gambits, The Ruy Lopez Revisited, in 1000TN!!
which he introduced moves like 3...f5, 3...Bc5. His latest invention against by Chess Informant
Caruana was 3...Nge7 4.c3 d5!?. From the practical point of view all these
lines are playable – of course if we look objectively, White is doing better.
Against me Ivan is going for the main Spanish, it was a small surprise for me.

3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.d3

Of course, the main line here is 6.Re1, but lately 6.d3 got very popular,
especially often played by Magnus Carlsen and Anand. Personally, I like 6.d3
already for many years.
Play through and download
the games from 6...d6
ChessCafe.com in the
Chess Informant 112
ChessBase Game Viewer. The main line starts with 6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 Bd7 (8...b4).
by Chess Informant

7.c4!?
 [FEN "r1bqk2r/1pp1bppp/p1np1n2/4p3/
B1P1P3/3P1N2/PP3PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7"]

A rare move, but interesting one. I already had some practice with this line in
a few rapid games and was very happy about the outcome of it, so during the
game I thought "Why not to try it in a normal game as well"!?

7.c3 0–0!? 8.Re1 b5 9.Bc2 d5 would lead us to one of the main positions. For
those who want to check it, see games of Carlsen and Aronian.

7...0–0

7...Bg4 is the other possibility for Black here 8.h3 (8.Nbd2?! The White
knight on d2 will be very badly placed. 8...0–0 9.h3 Be6 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.d4
exd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 With a very comfortable play for Black. (In case the White
knight would be on c3, White would be a little better)) 8...Bxf3 9.Qxf3 0–0 10.
Bxc6 bxc6 11.Nc3 Nd7 12.Be3 Re8 followed by Nf8–e6. Maybe White is
doing a bit better due to a better pawn structure, but Black is very solid.

8.h3 Be6

It seems that White has better play after 8...Rb8 9.Nc3 Nd4 the point of 8...
Rb8, now Black is having the b5 move a tempo 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Ne2 b5

[FEN "1rbq1rk1/2p1bppp/p2p1n2/1p6/
B1PpP3/3P3P/PP2NPP1/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 12"]

12.Nxd4! a nice tactic 12...bxa4 13.Nc6 Qe8 14.Nxb8 Bb7 15.Nxa6 Bxa6 16.
b4! and it seems that White is having a better play even if the position is very
complicated.

9.Nc3 Nd7

The first moment in the game, where I took some time for a thinking.
Basically I have two opportunities. 10.Re1 or the move from the game 10.Be3.

10.Be3

10.Re1 Nc5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.d4 exd4 13.Nxd4 Bd7 I thought for a while
about this position. Not easy to evaluate who is actually doing better. White
has a better structure, but the bishop pair of Black could become very strong
in the future. Also Black could try to play next moves Bf6 and Ne6 trying to
take a control over the d4 square. All this was too unclear for me and I
decided for the move in the game.

10...f5

In case Ivan can push something forward – you don't need to ask him twice.

11.exf5

The most logical move in the position.

11.d4 I spent quite some time calculating this move. Finally, I didn't want to
make it from practical reasons. Black has too many different options and all
of them are very complex and lead to positions which are very hard to
evaluate 11...f4! (11...Bxc4 12.Bb3! Na5 13.Bxc4+ Nxc4 14.dxe5 Ndxe5 15.
Qd5+ Kh8 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.f4 Nd7 18.exf5 unclear) 12.d5 fxe3 13.fxe3 (13.
dxe6 exf2+ 14.Rxf2 Nc5-+) 13...Nc5 14.dxe6 Bg5 and we have again a
position that might be better for White, but could be the opposite as well.

11...Bxf5

[FEN "r2q1rk1/1ppnb1pp/p1np4/4pb2/
B1P5/2NPBN1P/PP3PP1/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 12"]

12.d4!

Of course I should not lose time and need to fight for the center. During the
game I was very happy with my position and was sure, that I should do a bit
better here. 12.Nd5 would be the other option for White, but I wanted to
search my chances in a more direct play.

12...Bf6?

This is probably a mistake. 12...exd4! would be the right reaction 13.Nxd4 (13.
Bxc6 dxc3!) 13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 With a slight advantage for White.

13.d5 Na5!

A great move by Black to stay in the game. Black is trying to make the things
tacticaly work – which is definitely their only chance now. In this position
White is doing much better, in case White will manage to put a "blocker" on
e4 square, Black's position will get worse.

13...Ne7 14.Bc2 with a clearly better position for White (14.g4? a try to win
the Black bishop would give White only troubles 14...Bg6 15.g5 Bh5!
creating a deadly pin 16.Ne4 Ng6! 17.gxf6 Nh4 and Black is doing better).

14.Nd2!

[FEN "r2q1rk1/1ppn2pp/p2p1b2/n2Ppb2/
B1P5/2N1B2P/PP1N1PP1/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]

It is very important to cover the square e4 at any costs. With a knight on e4

White would block many of the Black's attempts and the dark squared bishop
of Black would get very passive, Black's knight position on a5 could also get
at some moment very dangerous, White's move b4 could be a serious threat in
the future.
14...Bd3 15.Qg4

15.Re1!? would be another possible move 15...Nxc4 16.Nxc4 Bxc4 17.Qg4

(17.Bxd7 a try to catch the bishop on c4 doesn't work 17...Qxd7 18.b3 e4!
Black is doing great) 17...b5 here I stoped my calculation – too early 18.Bc2!
a difficult move to find during the game. White is a clear pawn down, but the
Black bishop is having a very dangerous position on c4 and could be
potentially caught. In addition, White is having control over the e4 square and
the knight will have just a great position on e4. All this is giving White clearly
a better play; 15.Bc2!? a very interesting positional exchange sacrifice 15...
Bxf1 16.Qxf1 b6 it is clear that White has enough compensation for the
exchange, but wether White is doing better here is under big question mark.

15...Nb6 16.Bxb6 cxb6

[FEN "r2q1rk1/1p4pp/pp1p1b2/n2Pp3/
B1P3Q1/2Nb3P/PP1N1PP1/R4RK1 w - - 0 17"]

17.Rfd1

17.Rfc1 would lead to unnecessary complications after 17...b5! (too early

would be 17...Bg5? 18.Bc2! Bxd2 19.Bxd3 Bxc1 20.Rxc1 and White is
almost winning!) 18.cxb5 Bg5 19.Bc2 Bxb5 with an unclear position.

17...Kh8

It is hard for Black to find a better move. The check on e6 is really unpleasant
in many lines, so my opponents decides for a prophylactic decision.

18.Nde4!

Finally, I reached the first step of my plan. The square e4 is blocked. But an
exact calculation was needed. White is just in time to protect the pawn c4.

18...Bxe4 19.Qxe4 g6

19...Rc8 20.Bc2! The key move. White is using the tempo (the h7 pawn is
hanging) to bring the bishop from a4 to d3 after which the knight on a5 will
be in big danger. 20...g6 21.Bd3 would lead to about the same 21...Qc7 22.
Rac1! The only way for White to protect the pawn on c4, but everything
seems to work 22...Nxc4 23.Ne2 b5 24.b3+–.

20.Bc2!

I continue sticking to my plan. Next White's moves are Bd3, Qe2 and finally
fulfilling my plan with Ne4.

20...Bg7 21.Bd3 Rf4 22.Qe2 Rd4 23.Ne4

 [FEN "r2q3k/1p4bp/pp1p2p1/n2Pp3/2PrN3/
3B3P/PP2QPP1/R2R2K1 b - - 0 23"]

Finally, I am done with my plan. All my pieces are standing at good places,
Black is having a bad bishop on g7 and a knight on a5 which is very close to
being caught by the b4 move.

23...b5

Suddenly Black's position is very bad. Ivan is short on time, decides to give a
pawn in hopes for any kind of play. 23...Rc8 24.Rac1 Bh6 25.Rc3 would not
change much as well.

24.cxb5 Qb6 25.Rab1?!

In a winning position and having twenty-five minutes against my opponent's

one, I decided to make a small trap. But there was no need for that. 25.bxa6
bxa6 26.Ng5 would simply lead to a winning position.

25...axb5 26.Ng5!

This was my idea. Now I want to play Bxb5 and have the b4 move "in my
pocket."

26...Rxd5

Ivan in falling in my trap. 26...e4 27.Bxb5 Rb4 28.a4 and White's position is
of course winning as well.

27.Bxg6!

[FEN "r6k/1p4bp/1q1p2B1/np1rp1N1/
8/7P/PP2QPP1/1R1R2K1 b - - 0 27"]

Easy but pretty.

27...Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 hxg6 29.Rxd6! Qc7 30.Rxg6 Ra6

The last trick of my opponent.

31.Rxa6

31.Qh5+?? Kg8 32.Rxa6 Qc1+ 33.Kh2 Qf4+ with a perpetual check.

31...bxa6 32.Qh5+ Kg8 33.Qh7+ 1–0

Black resigned because of the 33...Kf8 34.Ne6. A nice positional win and a
super-important one because of the situation in the tournament.

A PDF file of this month's Chess Evolution column, along with all previous
columns, is available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.

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