Liechtenstein 2009
Chigorin Defence
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3 e5
Chigorin played 6...e6!? in a draw against Steinitz at London 1899.
7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3
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| Black's ninth move is critical for how the game will develop |
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9...Qd6
I have six opening books that are either solely about the Chigorin or devote a substantial portion of their text to it. Most firmly state, or at least imply, that 9...exd4 is inferior.
Chris Ward in Unusual Queen's Gambit Declined (Everyman 2002) states: "This type of knights versus bishops scenario has been hotly debated over the years. One thing that seems to have been concluded is that 9...exd4 shows Black's hand unnecessarily early … The premature pawn-trade enables [White] to utilise the queenside files far more easily."
Gary Lane in Ideas Behind Modern Chess Openings: Black (Batsford 2005): "I like [9...Qd6] which keeps all options open. 9...exd4 is the main alternative but is less flexible as it releases the tension in the centre."
Valery Bronznik in The Chigorin Defence (Schachverlag Kania 2005) treats 9...Qd6 as the main line, while also taking a look at 9...exd4, 9...Nge7 and 9...Nf6.
Christoph Wisnewski in Play 1...Nc6! (Everyman 2007) writes of the diagram position: "Black's foremost concern should be to stop a possible pawn-advance, and 9...Qd6! does the trick." He adds: "9...e4? does not work because of 10.Bg2. Neither does 9...Nf6?!, as after 10.c4 Qd6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Rb1 b6 13.Bb4 White was better in A. Saidy - M. Al Modiakhi, Las Vegas 2001. Finally, 9...exd4, although examined by Bronznik, is completely out of the question. Why release the tension and open the position for the pair of bishops?"
Angus Dunnington in The Chigorin Queen's Gambit (Batsford 1996) says: "The exchange [9....exd4] allows White to rid himself of the c3 pawn and opens the e1-a5 diagonal for the bishop and the c file for the rook. Black also gives up an influential central pawn. However, the queen does not have as much scope on d6 as it does on d5, and Black's ninth move loses time. The choice is really just a matter of taste."
So that is four experts for 9...Qd6 and only one willing to give equal standing to 9...exd4.
Then along came The Chigorin Defence According To Morozevich (New In Chess 2007). The book is credited to "Alexander Morozevich & Vladimir Barsky." But the format suggests it was written by international master Barsky and then submitted to grandmaster Morozevich for a once-over. The book concentrates on 9...Qd6, but there is a section in italics directly attributed to Morozevich that runs in part: "As a result of theoretical investigations and practical tests I have come to the conclusion that the most promising continuation for Black is 9....Nf6!?, which has not been employed much in practice."
As might be expected, Morozevich's verdict sparked an explosion of interest in 9...Nf6, with the main line established as 10.c4 Qd6 11.d5 Ne7 12.Rb1 b6 13.Bb4, which the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon gives White the upper hand.
10.Rb1 0-0-0?!
Normal is 10...b6.
Morozevich, writing in general about the diagram position, states: "The plan with ...0-0-0 seems rather dangerous to me, since White has the b file which his queen and rook can quickly occupy. I do not believe in this plan, and I myself have never castled queenside."
11.Qb3 b6 12.Qxf7 Nh6 13.Qc4
13.Bh3+!? seems to have been a novelty when it was played in Atila Gajo Figura (2074) - Spanton (2148), Lechenicher SchachServer Preliminaries 1999 (corr). The game continued 13...Kb8 14.Qxg7 exd4 15.cxd4 Qd5 16.Rc1 Rhe8, and now the future IM played 17.Rc3? (the engines reckon Black has full compensation for his material deficit, but no more, after 17.e4 or 17.Rg1), but after 17...Nf7 18.Rxc6 (forced) Qxc6 19.Qxf7 Rxd4, Black was well on top (0-1, 74 moves).
13...Rhf8 14.Bd3 Rxf3
Stockfish10's 14...Nf7!? 15.Be4 Nb8 may be an improvement but still looks good for White.
15.Be4 Rf6 16.d5?!
Stronger, according to the engines, is 16.Qa6+.
16...Na5?
Better is 16...Nb8, as played in Cyril Marzolo (2393) - Igor Miladinović (2607), French Team Championship (Gonfreville) 2006. After the further 17.Rf1 Rdf8 18.f3 Nf5 19.Ke2 Qd7 20.Bxf5 Rxf5, Black was at least equal (½–½, 44 moves).
17.Qa6+ Nb7
I had missed that 17...Kb8?? drops a piece.
18.c4 Kb8 19.Bb4 c5??
The engines give the better, but still miserable, 19...Qd7 20.c5 Qc8.
20.dxc6 Nc5 21.c7+ Kxc7
Black loses a piece after 21...Qxc7 22.Bxc5.
22.Qxa7+ Kc8 23.Bb7+ Kd7 24.Bd5+?
24.Rd1 wins instantly.
24...Ke8 25.Bxc5 Qxc5 26.Rb5 Qe7 27.Qxe7+ Kxe7 28.Ke2
Materially Black is only a pawn down, but White is positionally better too.
28...Rdf8 29.Rf1 Ng4 30.f3 Nxh2!?
This is Komodo10's choice, but that only shows how bad Black's position is as now the knight gets trapped.
31.Rf2 Rh6 32.Be4 Rff6
The e5 pawn cannot be saved.
33.Rxe5+ Re6 34.Rg5 1-0
LESSONS FROM THIS GAME
Whatever the merits of Black's ninth-move choices, none of it matters if Black goes on to commit tactical howlers.
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