Rause, Olita, Mrs. - Berdichesky, Ruben
CAPA X Jubilee (ICCF Email), 1999
Notes by GM Olita Rause - Especially for CCN

B12. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.a3!? #This very "short" move often played by GM ND Short became popular in tournament praxis over the last few years. White not only avoids the huge reams of theoretical lines in the Modern Caro-Kann but also aims for an interesting positional battle. Nd7 The standard 5. ...c5 is not very promising here. 6.c4!? dc4 7. Bxc4 Nc6 and White has a nice choice between 8. 0-0 (ND Short) and 8.Be3 6.Be2 Ne7 7.O-O h6!? Very recent idea, not only keeping the Bf5 in safety (say, after Nh4) but in some lines, aimiing for g7-g5. 8.Nbd2 8.Re1 also deserves attention: if 8 ...Ng6?! 9.Be3 Be7 10.Nfd2!? Black has problems to solve. g5 9.Nb3!? A few OTB games with b2-b4 and c2-c4 did not amount to much for White Bg7 10.Bd2 This is a new move, I tried to improve on Kindermann-Brunner, Baden 1999,which continued with 10.Be3 f6!? A waiting strategy is not suitable.

[10...Bg6?! 11.Re1 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Bb4 g4 14.Nfd2 h5 15.Bf1 e5 16.Nc5]

[10...b6?! 11.Re1 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Bd3 O-O 14.Bxf5 exf5 15.Qe2 Qc7 16.h4 g4 17.Qe6+ Kh7 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bg7 20.h5 with the advantage in both variations.]

11.Bb4 a5 Black's kind Bishop invitation to d6 was probably played due to

[11...fxe5?! 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Bh5+ Kd7 15.g4 Bh7 16.Qe2 with a strong attack but in near future, it became a real sacrifice, after which White has long-lasting pressure.]

[11...O-O 12.Na5!?]

12.Bd6 O-O 13.c4 dxc4

[13...a4 14.Nc5!?]

14.Bxc4 fxe5 15.dxe5

[15.Nxe5 Nb6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7]

15...b5!? Very important resource for Black's defence, White should whether to trade her White-square Bishop or allow to her Black colleague to establish a foothold on the key d5 square 16.Be2 Be4!? 17.a4! The quiet

[17.Re1?! a4 18.Nbd4 Bd5 19.Bd3 g4 20.Nh4 Rf4 leads to nothing for White]

17...b4 With this mostly forced move, Black exceeded the time control for the first time. In my CC experience, I had yet to exceede time control (which is the reverse of my OTB chess where I am perenially fighting with chess clocks). 18.Nbd4 Bd5 19.Rc1 g4?! Finally Black takes on e5 and wild complications start from now 20.Nh4!? The other option I calculated was 20.Bc4 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Bxe5 22.Bxg4 [Another interesting moment. Again, I thought about 22.Bc4 which requires careful play by Black.

[22.Bc4 Bxc4 23.Qxg4+

(23.Rxc4?? Rf4)

23...Kh7 24.Qe4+ Nf5 forced 25.Rxc4 Qd5 26.Nxc6

(26.Ndxf5 exf5 27.Qc2 b3 28.Qxb3 Rab8 29.Qc2 Rxb2 30.Qc1 Rb4 31.Rxb4 axb4 32.Rd1 Qe4 33.Rd7+ Kg8 34.Ng6 Re8!?)

26...Bxb2 27.Qe2 Nxh4 28.Rxh4 Qxc6 29.Qxb2 with mutual chances]

22...Rf6! 23.Re1 Qd6 24.g3 Kh8! Berdinchesky demonstrates a good understanding of the position, which I had underestimated during the game. I had expected the natural 24. ...Raf8 and thought my position better after

[24...Raf8 25.Rc2

(25.f4?? Bxf4 26.gxf4 Qxf4 27.Rc2 Qg5)]

25.Nxe6 Black is doing well after

[25.Rc2 Rg8! 26.Bh3 Rd8!]

25...Bxb2 Stronger than

[25...Rg8?! 26.Nc5 Bxb2 27.Rc2 Be5

(27...Bc3 28.Nb7 Qc7 29.Rxc3 Rxg4 30.Qxg4 bxc3 31.Qd4)

28.Nd7!]

26.Rc2 Be5 The only move as

[26...Bc3? 27.Rxc3 bxc3 28.Qd4 Ng8 29.Bf5 Qb4 30.Ng6+ Kh7 31.Rb1! Bxe6 32.Rxb4 Bxf5 33.Rb7+ Kxg6 34.g4! and White wins.]

27.f4 I also found other options lacking in promise.

[27.Rxe5?! Qxe5 28.Re2 Qc3 29.Nc7 Bb3? but fortunately I discovered the intermediate

(29...Raf8! 30.Rxe7 Bb3! forces a Queen trade 31.Qe2 Qc1+ (31...Rxf2 32.Ng6+ Kg8 33.Be6+ Bxe6 34.Qxe6+ R8f7 35.Nf4 R2xf4 36.Qg6+ Qg7 37.Re8+ Rf8 38.Qxg7+ Kxg7 39.gxf4) 32.Qe1 Qxe1+ 33.Rxe1 Bc2 34.Bd1 b3 and Black is back in business.)

30.Qd7 Qc1+ 31.Kg2 Bd5+! 32.Nxd5 Nxd5 33.Bf5 Rxf5

(33...Nf4+ 34.gxf4 Rg8+ 35.Kf3 Qh1+ 36.Ke3 Qc1+ 37.Rd2 Qc3+ 38.Ke2 Qc4+ 39.Kf3)

34.Nxf5 Rg8 35.Qd6]

[27.Rce2 Bxe6 28.Rxe5 Qxd1 29.Bxd1 Rd8 30.Bh5 Rd6 31.Rxa5 Kg7]

[27.Nc5 b3 28.Rd2 Qxc5 with a complex struggle.

(28...Rg8)]

27...Bxe6 28.Qxd6 Bxd6 29.Bxe6 Kg7 30.Nf3 #This ending is very difficult to defend. Let's remove Rooks and Knights and in resulting Bishop + pawns ending, White wins easily by organising passed "f" and "g" pawns. It is important to note that White has a "good" Bishop (controlling square a8!). The resulting endgame is very unpleasant for Black as White only needs to take care not allow to the blockade of his Kingside pawns. c5 Black's problems are reflected in his poorly coordinated pieces (especially Rf6 and Ne7) so he frees the c6-square for the Knight though it restricts the mobility of his own Bishop even further. 31.Kf2 Rd8 32.Rd2 Getting ready for exchanges. Nc6 33.Bc4 This prelate is a very important personnel so White puts him in a safe place Nd4 Black has no other useful moves here. On the other hand, White could easily improve his position with Re4, Ke2-d3 ideas. 34.Nxd4 cxd4 #The King aims for d3 where he can protect Bc4 and kill off any potential activity of Black`s pawns, so, here I expected the line 35. ...Re8 36.Kd1 Rxe1 37.Kxe1 and offered this series of conditional moves to Mr.Berdichesky here, but the answer never came - later I claimed the point after he exceeded the 2nd time control and from the Arbiter of the event, Mr.Esses. I had analysed this ending quite deeply and did not find any reasonable defence for Black, the ending after 37. ...Bc5 38.Ke2 Rf8 39.Kd3 Re8 40.Re2 Re3(?) 41. Rxe3 dxe3 was easy work for White, and by keeping Rooks on board, White's task became just takes a longer time to fulfill but the conclusion is still the same. However, I still feel sorry about this uncompleted game.

1-0

B12. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.a3!? #This very "short" move often played by GM ND Short became popular in tournament praxis over the last few years. White not only avoids the huge reams of theoretical lines in the Modern Caro-Kann but also aims for an interesting positional battle. Nd7 The standard 5. ...c5 is not very promising here. 6.c4!? dc4 7. Bxc4 Nc6 and White has a nice choice between 8. 0-0 (ND Short) and 8.Be3 6.Be2 Ne7 7.O-O h6!? Very recent idea, not only keeping the Bf5 in safety (say, after Nh4) but in some lines, aimiing for g7-g5. 8.Nbd2 8.Re1 also deserves attention: if 8 ...Ng6?! 9.Be3 Be7 10.Nfd2!? Black has problems to solve. g5 9.Nb3!? A few OTB games with b2-b4 and c2-c4 did not amount to much for White Bg7 10.Bd2 This is a new move, I tried to improve on Kindermann-Brunner, Baden 1999,which continued with 10.Be3 f6!? A waiting strategy is not suitable.
	[10...Bg6?! 11.Re1 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Bb4 g4 14.Nfd2 h5 15.Bf1 e5 16.Nc5]

	[10...b6?! 11.Re1 f6 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Bd3 O-O 14.Bxf5 exf5 15.Qe2 Qc7 16.h4 g4 17.Qe6+ Kh7 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.dxe5 Bg7 20.h5 with the advantage in both variations.]
11.Bb4 a5 Black's kind Bishop invitation to d6 was probably played due to
	[11...fxe5?! 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Bh5+ Kd7 15.g4 Bh7 16.Qe2 with a strong attack but in near future, it became a real sacrifice, after which White has long-lasting pressure.]

	[11...O-O 12.Na5!?]
12.Bd6 O-O 13.c4 dxc4
	[13...a4 14.Nc5!?]
14.Bxc4 fxe5 15.dxe5
	[15.Nxe5 Nb6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7]
15...b5!? Very important resource for Black's defence, White should whether to trade her White-square Bishop or allow to her Black colleague to establish a foothold on the key d5 square 16.Be2 Be4!? 17.a4! The quiet
	[17.Re1?! a4 18.Nbd4 Bd5 19.Bd3 g4 20.Nh4 Rf4 leads to nothing for White]
17...b4 With this mostly forced move, Black exceeded the time control for the first time. In my CC experience, I had yet to exceede time control (which is the reverse of my OTB chess where I am perenially fighting with chess clocks). 18.Nbd4 Bd5 19.Rc1 g4?! Finally Black takes on e5 and wild complications start from now 20.Nh4!? The other option I calculated was 20.Bc4 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Bxe5 22.Bxg4 [Another interesting moment. Again, I thought about 22.Bc4 which requires careful play by Black.
	[22.Bc4 Bxc4 23.Qxg4+
		(23.Rxc4?? Rf4)
	23...Kh7 24.Qe4+ Nf5 forced 25.Rxc4 Qd5 26.Nxc6
		(26.Ndxf5 exf5 27.Qc2 b3 28.Qxb3 Rab8 29.Qc2 Rxb2 30.Qc1 Rb4 31.Rxb4 axb4 32.Rd1 Qe4 33.Rd7+ Kg8 34.Ng6 Re8!?)
	26...Bxb2 27.Qe2 Nxh4 28.Rxh4 Qxc6 29.Qxb2 with mutual chances]
22...Rf6! 23.Re1 Qd6 24.g3 Kh8! Berdinchesky demonstrates a good understanding of the position, which I had underestimated during the game. I had expected the natural 24. ...Raf8 and thought my position better after
	[24...Raf8 25.Rc2
		(25.f4?? Bxf4 26.gxf4 Qxf4 27.Rc2 Qg5)]
25.Nxe6 Black is doing well after
	[25.Rc2 Rg8! 26.Bh3 Rd8!]
25...Bxb2 Stronger than
	[25...Rg8?! 26.Nc5 Bxb2 27.Rc2 Be5
		(27...Bc3 28.Nb7 Qc7 29.Rxc3 Rxg4 30.Qxg4 bxc3 31.Qd4)
	28.Nd7!]
26.Rc2 Be5 The only move as
	[26...Bc3? 27.Rxc3 bxc3 28.Qd4 Ng8 29.Bf5 Qb4 30.Ng6+ Kh7 31.Rb1! Bxe6 32.Rxb4 Bxf5 33.Rb7+ Kxg6 34.g4! and White wins.]
27.f4 I also found other options lacking in promise.
	[27.Rxe5?! Qxe5 28.Re2 Qc3 29.Nc7 Bb3? but fortunately I discovered the intermediate
		(29...Raf8! 30.Rxe7 Bb3! forces a Queen trade 31.Qe2 Qc1+ (31...Rxf2 32.Ng6+ Kg8 33.Be6+ Bxe6 34.Qxe6+ R8f7 35.Nf4 R2xf4 36.Qg6+ Qg7 37.Re8+ Rf8 38.Qxg7+ Kxg7 39.gxf4) 32.Qe1 Qxe1+ 33.Rxe1 Bc2 34.Bd1 b3 and Black is back in business.)
	30.Qd7 Qc1+ 31.Kg2 Bd5+! 32.Nxd5 Nxd5 33.Bf5 Rxf5
		(33...Nf4+ 34.gxf4 Rg8+ 35.Kf3 Qh1+ 36.Ke3 Qc1+ 37.Rd2 Qc3+ 38.Ke2 Qc4+ 39.Kf3)
	34.Nxf5 Rg8 35.Qd6]

	[27.Rce2 Bxe6 28.Rxe5 Qxd1 29.Bxd1 Rd8 30.Bh5 Rd6 31.Rxa5 Kg7]

	[27.Nc5 b3 28.Rd2 Qxc5 with a complex struggle.
		(28...Rg8)]
27...Bxe6 28.Qxd6 Bxd6 29.Bxe6 Kg7 30.Nf3 #This ending is very difficult to defend. Let's remove Rooks and Knights and in resulting Bishop + pawns ending, White wins easily by organising passed "f" and "g" pawns. It is important to note that White has a "good" Bishop (controlling square a8!). The resulting endgame is very unpleasant for Black as White only needs to take care not allow to the blockade of his Kingside pawns. c5 Black's problems are reflected in his poorly coordinated pieces (especially Rf6 and Ne7) so he frees the c6-square for the Knight though it restricts the mobility of his own Bishop even further. 31.Kf2 Rd8 32.Rd2 Getting ready for exchanges. Nc6 33.Bc4 This prelate is a very important personnel so White puts him in a safe place Nd4 Black has no other useful moves here. On the other hand, White could easily improve his position with Re4, Ke2-d3 ideas. 34.Nxd4 cxd4 #The King aims for d3 where he can protect Bc4 and kill off any potential activity of Black`s pawns, so, here I expected the line 35. ...Re8 36.Kd1 Rxe1 37.Kxe1 and offered this series of conditional moves to Mr.Berdichesky here, but the answer never came - later I claimed the point after he exceeded the 2nd time control and from the Arbiter of the event, Mr.Esses. I had analysed this ending quite deeply and did not find any reasonable defence for Black, the ending after 37. ...Bc5 38.Ke2 Rf8 39.Kd3 Re8 40.Re2 Re3(?) 41. Rxe3 dxe3 was easy work for White, and by keeping Rooks on board, White's task became just takes a longer time to fulfill but the conclusion is still the same. However, I still feel sorry about this uncompleted game. 1-0