I replace FM Louie Jiang this week by analyzing a nice game between Oleksandr Nikulich and Wenyang Ming at the Père-Noël (Santa Claus) tournament in Montreal.
[Event "Pere Noel"]
[Site "Montreal CAN"]
[Date "2013.12.29"]
[Round "4"]
[White "Nikulich, Oleksandr"]
[Black "Ming, Wenyang"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B06"]
[WhiteElo "2085"]
[BlackElo "1822"]
[Annotator "Doe,John"]
[PlyCount "58"]
[EventDate "2013.12.26"]
[EventRounds "5"]
[EventCountry "CAN"]
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 {Black decides to go for the Modern Defense, which allows
White to play c3, unlike in the more common Pirc Defense, where black plays
Nf6 right away.} 3. Be3 Bg7 4. Nf3 $6 a6 $6 {A doubtful move. It seems like
Black was already preparing his attack on the Queen's side, but White still
has the option to castle on both sides. Black should have played 4... Nf6,
transposing in a Pirc Defense. Other moves such as Nbd7, c6 or c5 are also
playable and will actively contest the center.} 5. Bd3 Bg4 {Another doubtul
move. Again, Black should have contested the center with c5 or Nbd7.} 6. c3 Nd7
7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 e6 9. Nd2 h6 10. O-O Ne7 11. Qg3 d5 12. Rae1 Nf6 13. f4 $2 (
13. e5 $1 {And White now has a huge advantage. His pieces are much more active,
and Black's King has no safe spot.}) 13... dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nf5 15. Qf2 Nd5 16.
Bc1 O-O 17. g4 {White's plan is simple, but the outcome is uncertain. His
attack guarantees him a slight advantage, but his king's safety could be a
concern.} Nd6 18. Ng3 Qd7 19. Qg2 (19. f5 $1 {Would have given White better
chances.} exf5 20. gxf5 g5 21. Nh5) 19... c6 $2 {A loss of tempo. Black should
have played Nf6, preventing h4 or Nh5.} 20. f5 g5 $2 {A huge mistake in a
complicated position.} (20... exf5 21. gxf5 g5 {Would have been much easier
for Black to defend.}) 21. Nh5 $2 {Missing a winning move.} (21. h4 $3 gxh4 22.
Nh5 Rfe8 23. Nxg7 Kxg7 24. f6+ Kg8 25. Bxh6 {And the game is over, as White
has too many threats such as Re5.}) 21... exf5 22. gxf5 f6 23. h4 Rae8 24. Rxe8
Qxe8 (24... Rxe8 $6 {It seems good at first glance, but White has too much
pressure on the g file.} 25. hxg5 hxg5 26. Bxg5 fxg5 27. Qxg5 Ne4 28. Bxe4 Rxe4
29. Ng3 Re7 30. f6 $16) 25. Nxg7 Kxg7 26. hxg5 hxg5 {And Black has now pretty
much equalized.} 27. Bxg5 $4 {As strong as this move may seem, it actually
loses! Can you find why?} fxg5 $4 {Black's final mistake...} (27... Rg8 $3 28.
Kf2 Kf7 $19) 28. Qxg5+ Kh8 29. Qh6+ Kg8 {The PGN shows 30.Qg6?? Which must be
wrong. In any case, White quickly won, most likely by playing Qg5+, followed
by Rf3-Rh3.} 1-0
