Malcolm Pein is excited by the impending return of the the king in today’s Daily Telegraph column and makes a prediction…
Malcolm Pein on…The Return of the King
Many of the players were just feeling their way back into Classical chess when the Superbet Classic 2021 got under way in Bucharest with five draws. The most interesting development came away from the board, as Garry Kasparov revealed during commentary that he will play the Blitz section of the next Grand Chess Tour event in Zagreb from July 7 – 11. Even at the age of 58, I predict that Garry will score more than 50 per cent.
Anish Giri took some risks in an attempt to win and nearly came unstuck as Bogdan-Daniel Deac, a late replacement for Richard Rapport, missed a winning chance.
The Anti-Meran Gambit in Action
B.D.Deac–A.Giri
Slav, Anti-Meran Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.Qc2 Nh5 11.Rd1 Nxg3 12.hxg3 Na6 13.a3 Bg7 14.e5 Qe7 15.Ne4 0–0–0 (Going the other way is not an option, 15…0–0 16.Nf6+ Bxf6 17.Rxh6 wins)
16.Nd6+ Rxd6! 17.exd6 Qxd6 18.0–0 g4 (White’s king is somewhat more secure, although after 18…Kb8 19.b3 cxb3 20.Qxb3 Qd5, Black cannot be worse if queens come off) 19.Ne5! Bxe5 (19…c5 20.Nxf7 Qd5 leads to wild complications after 21.Bf3 gxf3 22.Qg6 fxg2 23.Rfe1 Bxd4 24.Nxh8 Bxf2+ 25.Kxf2 g1Q+ 26.Rxg1 Qf3+ 27.Ke1 Qe3+ 28.Kf1 Qf3+ and a draw) 20.dxe5 Qxe5 21.Bxg4 h5 22.Rfe1 Qf6 23.Bf3 h4 (23…Nc5 preventing b2–b3 looks a better try after 24.Re3 h4 25.gxh4 Qxh4 26.g3 Qf6) 24.b3! cxb3 25.Qxb3 hxg3 26.fxg3 Qg7 (26…Qg5 27.Qd3 Qc5+ looks better) 27.Qd3 Nc7 28.Qd6 (Black’s king is feeling the heat) 28…c5 29.Qd7+ (Missing the win 29.Re5! Qxg3, which is today’s puzzle – see below)
29…Kb8 30.Bxb7 Kxb7 31.Rxe6! Qxg3 32.Qc6+ Kb8 33.Qd6 Qxd6 34.Rexd6 Kb7 (A sharp endgame. The f7 pawn falls, but Black’s queenside is already on the move) 35.Rf6 Rh7 36.Rd7 b4 37.axb4 cxb4 38.Kf2 a5 39.Ke2 (39.Rfxf7 Rxf7+ 40.Rxf7 a4 41.Ke2 a3 42.Kd2 a2 43.Rf1 Nd5! 44.Ra1 (44.g4? b3 wins) 44…b3 45.Kc1 Ne3 draws as all the pawns will be exchanged) 39…Rg7 40.Rfxf7 Rxg2+ 41.Kd1 Rg1+ 42.Kc2 Rg2+ 43.Kb1 (A repetition is forced, if 43.Kb3 Rg3+ 44.Ka4 Ra3#) 43…Rg1+ 44.Kb2 Rg2+ 45.Kb1 Rg1+ 46.Kb2 Rg2+ 47.Kb1 Rg1+ draw
Test Your Strength
White to play and win
Highlight the space beneath this line to reveal the answer.
30.Rh5! Qxd6 31.Rxh8+ Kd7 32.Rxd6+ Kxd6 33.Bxb7
