Title: The Invisible Advantage! - Wesley So vs Ganguly | Fide Chess.com Grand Swiss 2019 Opening: Rossolimo Sicilian
Hello Chess Friends and Welcome to the Channel. Today is round 7 at the Chess.com Grand Swiss 2017.
Caruana drew an interesting game against Grischuk and you can find the video in the channel.
Wang hao lost against Aronian who is now leading the tournament with Caruana with 5 points and a half.
Only half point behind them Carlsen and other 6 players. There were many draws today so,
what a better moment for Wesley So to regain positions?
Today, with the white pieces he played against Ganguly. Let's review their game together. Let's start.
1. e4 c5 {the Sicilian defense} 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ {the Rossolimo attack} Nd7 4.
d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 {is better than Nxd4 and is the main line} a6 6. Bxd7+ Bxd7 7.
Nc3 {instad of c4} Rc8 {putting pressure on the c-file} 8. O-O e5 9. Qd3 h6 {
controlling g5} 10. Nd2 {the beginning of a long Knight maneuver} Qc7 11. Rd1
Bg4 {f3 can be played} 12. Re1 {only one game in database} Nf6 13. Nf1 Be6 14.
Ne3 {this is the perfect position for the Knight} Be7 15. a4 {is a novelty and
a good move. Before Bd2 was played. The game is now original and almost equal}
O-O 16. Rd1 {another control on d5} Rfd8 17. a5 Bf8 18. Bd2 g6 19. Be1 {
believe it or not this is the critical moment of the game. What to play as
Black? Nh5} Qc5 {it seems an inaccurancy but it's a terrible mistake} (19...
Nh5 {is a good idea. if white plays g3} 20. g3 {to stop the jump to f4} f5 {
is a good pawn sacrifice} 21. exf5 gxf5 22. Nxf5 Qf7 23. Ne3 Nf6 {ready to
play d5, with a complex , dynamic position}) 20. Na4 Qc6 21. Nb6 {attacking
the rook with advantage for white. what happens with Rc7?} Nxe4 {wins the
central pawn for the exchange. IT's the move that Stockfish suggests but there
is a big advantage for white and Stockfish doesn't understand see it yet} (
21... Rc7 22. f3 Nh5 23. c4 Nf4 24. Qd2 {then Bg3 and b3 and white is better.
This is not what Ganguly played}) 22. Nxc8 Rxc8 23. c4 {stopping the d5 push.
Bishop captures now is bad} f5 (23... Bxc4 24. Qxc4 Qxc4 25. Nxc4 Rxc4 26. Rac1
{the endgame is lost}) 24. Bb4 {now} Bxc4 {is a bit better than before because
after} 25. Nxc4 Qxc4 26. Qxc4+ Rxc4 {comes with tempo} 27. Ba3 Kf7 {is an
inaccurancy. Ganguly wants to reach and help the central pawns, the only good
asset in Black's position. Nc5 and then Ra4 is much better} (27... Ra4 {
directly is another idea, probably better than Kf7} 28. f3 Nf6 29. Rac1 Rxa5 {
loses on the spot} (29... Ne8 30. Rc8 Kf7 31. Rb8 Rxa5 32. Rxb7+ Ke6 {with a
small advantage for white but Black can try to hold}) 30. Rc8) 28. Rac1 Ra4 29.
f3 Nc5 30. Bxc5 dxc5 31. Rd7+ Kf6 32. Rxb7 {and even after} Rxa5 {there is a
real advantage for white} 33. Rb6+ Kg5 34. h4+ {is a deflection. Capturing the
pawn} Kh5 {the best move} (34... Kxh4 {is a blunder} 35. Rxg6 Kh5 36. Rg8 Be7
37. g3 {the King can't escape} Ra2 38. Kh2 Rxb2+ 39. Kh3 {let's make a free
move} Rb3 (39... a5 40. g4+ fxg4+ 41. fxg4#) 40. Rh1 Bh4 41. Kg2 {and there is
no way to stop the checkmate} Rb2+ 42. Kf1 Rb1+ 43. Ke2 Rxh1 44. g4+ fxg4 45.
fxg4#) 35. Rc4 {Rc6 is even better} Rb5 36. Rxa6 Be7 37. g4+ fxg4 (37... Kxh4 {
is a mistake} 38. gxf5+ Kg5 39. fxg6) 38. Re6 Bxh4 {is the last mistake. Bd8
is the best move, now the bishop is out of play} 39. Rxe5+ {if Bg5, f4 wins
the bishop} g5 40. fxg4+ Kg6 41. Rexc5 Rxb2 42. Rc6+ Kg7 43. Rd6 {if possible,
wesley will double the rooks on the sixth rank: the target is h6} Rb1+ {
is ok but there is no counterplay because g4 is on a light square and well
protected by the rook} 44. Kg2 Rb2+ 45. Kf3 Rf2+ 46. Ke3 Rf6 47. Rc7+ {Black
can already resign} Kg6 48. Rxf6+ Kxf6 49. Ke4 Bf2 {tries to activate the
bishop} 50. Rc6+ Kg7 51. Kf5 {the King's invasion} h5 52. gxh5 Kh7 53. h6 Be3
54. Kg4 Bf4 55. Re6 Bd2 56. Kh5 {Black resigns. Let's win this endgame together
} g4 57. Re7+ Kg8 58. Kg6 {is an inaccurancy} (58. h7+ Kf8 59. Rb7 {is a bit
less precise than the computer line but it's fine} (59. Re5 Kg7 60. h8=Q+ Kxh8
61. Kg6 Bb4 62. Re8+ Bf8 63. Rxf8#) 59... Bc3 60. Kxg4 Ke8 61. Kg5 Kd8 62. Kg6
Ke8 63. Rg7 Bxg7 64. Kxg7) 58... Kf8 1-0
With this victory Wesley So is one point behind the leaders and back on track.
I hope that you enjoyed and let's hope to see great games tomorrow in round 8.
Our analysis is over. Thank you very much for watching and see you tomorrow. Goodbye
Photos by:
Lennart Ootes
FIDE Master and Professional Photographer
You can follow him here:
@LennartOotes
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