Part 1 | Part 2

In my recent investigations for ChessPublishing.com, which, by the way is very much thriving, I came across this interesting game. I would welcome some input from the readers. Has anyone any sensible suggestions to revive Black's chances?

Ganguly - Speelman [B17]
Gibraltar Masters, 2004
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7

A FAVORITE OF SPEELMAN AND KARPOV

Speelman was very pessimistic about the future of 4...Nd7 after this game. He's been playing this variation for 25 years and still could not avoid getting crushed. Let us see whether Black's chances are really that bad.

5.Ng5 Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7 11.0–0 b6 12.Qg4 Kf8 13.b3 Bb7

IS THERE SOMETHING BETTER THAN 13…Bb7?

This is the first point at which Black could seriously consider deviating. The Bishop stays on c8 to facilitate ...e6-e5: 13...c5!? 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Bb2 e5 (Blocking the long diagonal in this manner slows down the White attack.) 16.Bf5 h5 (16...Bxf5! 17.Qxf5 Re8 seems more stable to me.) 17.Qh3 Ne6 18.Nh4 Rh6 19.Qe3 Bb7 (finally) 20.Rad1 Nd4 21.Be4 Kg8, 1/2-1/2, Geenen -Bagheri, Belgium 2003. Agreeing a draw in this position is rather silly; the game is just warming up. I prefer White after 22.Bxb7 Qxb7 23.Bxd4 exd4 24.Rxd4 Bc5 25.Qe4 with a clear plus.

14.Bb2 Nf6 15.Qh4 c5

Several other moves have been played: 15...Nd5 16.Ne5 c5 17.Qg3 Bxe5 18.dxe5 Nb4 19.Rfd1 Rd8 20.c4 Nxd3 21.Rxd3 Rxd3 22.Qxd3 Ke7 23.Qg3

MISERABLE STRUGGLE TO DRAW

Although White has an edge, it is my impression that this position should be survivable. Of course, if a miserable struggle for the draw is the best that Black has then it's not very attractive: 23...g5 24.h4 Rg8 25.Rd1 Rg6 26.Bc1 gxh4 27.Qxh4+ Ke8 28.Bxh6 Qe7 29.Qxe7+ Kxe7 30.Bf4 Rxg2+ 31.Kf1 Rg4 32.Bg3 Rd4 33.Rxd4 cxd4 34.Ke2 Be4, 1/2-1/2, Pikula -Sundararajan, Biel 2000.

Black's best try might well be 15...Ke7

CONNECTING ROOKS

Part 1 | Part 2