LET'S PLAY CHESS: ERA of COMPUTER

by NM Edgar DE CASTRO
The Phillipine Star

Era of Computer -Aided Chess

Chess computers these days have massive database programs that can compile millions of games reaching back more than five centuries. It can also show percentages of games won after vicious alternative moves. Chess thus becomes a vast, branching cave to be explored game by game.

2009 European Championship
W: Vavrak
B: Popov
Nimzo-Indian Defense

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2
Botvinnik's well known idea. W tries to force the exchange of B's dark-squared B without having the drawback of a doubled pawn.

4 ... d5 5 cxd5
The main continuation 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 Ne4 7 Qc2 Nc6 8 e3 e5 9 cxd5 Qxd5 10 Bc4 Qa5 11 b4!? Nb4 gives W a slight edge.

5 ... exd5
The alternatives are 5 ... Qxd5 and 5 ... Nxd5.

6 Bg5
This sharp line is a favorite of former World Champion Kasparov.

6 ... c5
After 6 ... h6 7 Bxf6 Qxf6 8 a3 Bxc3+ 9 Qxc3 O-O 10 e3 Bf5 11 Ne2 Rc8 12 Rc1 Nd7 13 b4 a5 14 Ng3 axb4 15 axb4, W is slightly better.

7 dxc5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 Ne4! 10 Bxb8
Kasparov's line 10 e3 Qa5!? 11 Nge2 Bf5 12 Be5 O-O 13 Nd4 Re8, offers W no more than equal chances.

10 ... Qf6
The text is an important improvement by the Armenian str Levon Aronian.

11 Bg3 Nxc3 12 a3 bf5 13 Qd2 Ba5 14 e3
After 14 b4?! Ne4 15 Qc1 Rc8 16 Ra2 Rxc5! 17 Qa1 Qc6 18 Qe5+ Kd8 19 Qxh8+ Kd7, B wins. Sokolov-Aronian, Turin Olympiad 2006.

14 ... O-O-O!
W was probably hoping for 14 ... d4, when 15 Bb5+! Nxb5 (if 15 ... Kf8 16 Nf3) 16 Qxa5 gives him the advantage.

15 Bd6 Bg4!
B is threatening 16 ... Ne4 17 Qxa5 Qxf2 mate.

16 f3?
16 Nf3 is considered better. For instance 16 ... Bxf3 17 gxf3 Qxf3 18 bxc3 Qxh1 19 O-O-O, and the game is far from over. Now B gets busy opening lines.

16 ... d4!













17 e4
After 17 fxg4 (or 17 exd4 Rhe8+ 18 Ne2 Nxe2 19 Qxa5 Ng3+, B is winning) dxe3 18 Qc2 Nb5+ 19 Ke2 Nd4+, B wins.

17 ... Rhe8 18 Ne2?!
A good try is 18 Bd3!? Nxe4 19 Qxa5 Nxd6+ 20 Ne2, with perhaps some chances to survive.

18 ... Bxf3! 19 Qxf3 20 e5
W cannot allow an open e-file, but here comes another devastating move.

20 ... d3!
A decisive advance with crushing effect on W's uncastled K. After 20 ... Qxh1 21 bxc3 dxc3 22 Qc2, W stays in the game a little longer.

21 bxc3 dxe2 22 Qxe2 Bxc3+ 23 Kd1 Qxh1
After the text, B advantage is overwhelming.

24 Rc1?
An obvious mistake in a losing position.

24 ... Rxe5 0-1.