NISIPEANU vs SO

FROM CHESSDOM.COM

Nisipeanu - Wesley So
Round 6
Corus 2010
22.01.2010

Welcome to the Corus 2010 commentary on Chessdom.com! Today GM Buenaventura Bong Villamayor will cover for you live the game Nisipeanu - Wesley So. More about GM Villamayor here.

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GMBongVillamayor: Good evening Philippines! Hello everyone! welcome to our live coverage of Nisipeanu - So. We hope to see some intense action here today which Wesley So's opponent is considered the 'Mikhail Tal' of Romania. But before the game a short intro for the Romania's top player. GMBongVillamayor: Born 1 August 1976 GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu is a dynamic and combative player and a so called student of Mikhail Tal...His peak rating 2707 in Oct 2005 followed after being 2005 European Champion. In 1999 World Championships in USA he defeated Ivanchuk and Shirov to reach the semi finals. His openings include a great variety with both e4 and d4 at his repertoire. To add, GM Nisipeanu played in the 2007 MTel Sofia super event with Topalov, Kamsky, Mamedjarov and Sasikiran.
Most likely Wesley's Slav against d4 and Sicilian or a French Defense against the Romanian's e4.

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c6 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.O-O Bg4 Ok, we have started a possible Reti System by white and black counters with a solid Slav formation.

5.c4 e6 Black uses a solid line here...white in turn has many options: Ne5, b3, d3 Qb3...

6.d3 Nbd7 This is still very much theory. The Reti Opening is one of the so called hypermodern systems which aims to delay action on the center and focus on development first...Once black positions his center pawns, then the main plan of the Reti takes effect... Pawn tensions on c4 and e4, possibly pawn breaks that can transpose to a favorable middlegame for white...

7.cxd5 cxd5 After playing 7.cxd5 cxd5, it is white's aim to go for e2-e4 and pressure d5...The fluidity of the center makes the coming middlegame uncertain yet. We have to wait for developments...
For sure, if white wishes to generate some advantage, he has to make the e2-e4 plan possible...

8.Nc3 Possibly 8...Be7 or Bd6 for black

8... Bd6 Now white can execute e2-e4. One possible line: 9.e4 dxe4 10.dxe4 Ne5 11.Qa4+

9.h3 White's h3 is a very useful move...putting black to decide on Bxf3 or Bh5...

9... Bxf3 10.Bxf3 Now white has the 2 bishops...he would be aiming for e2-e4 with a stronger effect. Black has to formulate a plan on how to combat this idea.

10... O-O e2-e4 will be the main plan, it does not mean it will be played at once. Closing the position with 11.e4 d4 12.Ne2 will come out like an inverted King's Indian...with white having the 2 bishops.

11.e4 Black's dxe4 seems best...after 12.dxe4, black must aim to stabilise the center with e6-e5...but first Bd6 is hanging...

11... dxe4 12.dxe4 Be5 With black's Be5, possible piece play of Nc5 hitting e4 as well. Black using his slight lead in development to create threats.
If black can develop fast, he can position his rooks on the c and d files, Nc5 will follow. White should not delay, probably 13.Be3.

13.Bg2 White's Bg2 intends f2-f4. Black has to play actively now.

13... Rc8 Black getting quite active and almost finishing development. Some good squares for his pieces after Nb6-c4, or Nc5-d3. Once black's other rook goes to d8, then we can see initiative...

14.Qe2 14. Qa4 Qb6! was strong...Now white wishes to give up a pawn for activity of pieces...especially the 2 bishops. Possible: 14...Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rxc3 16.Bb2 Rc6 17.Rfd1 Qa5

14... Bxc3 15.bxc3 Qa5 Black maybe planning to put up blockade with the Ns, the squares c4, c5 are viable. Maneuver of Nb6-c4 or Ne5-c4.

16.Rd1 e5 Black is trying to setup a fixed pawn setup to minimise the 2 bishops and blockade the c-pawn.

17.a4 Black's main concern here is his Nd7 which is being attacked by white's Rd1...the possibility of white being active on the kingside with g3-g4...or a2-a4, Ba3 are possible...

17... Qxc3 18.Ba3 Now black is a pawn up, white needs active play as compensation...

18... Rfe8 19.h4 Possibly threatening Bh3 by white. Black should get his N away by Nb6.

19... Nc5 20.Rdc1 It's either Qd3 or Qa5 here now. But Qd3 might be a problem because of the back rank...maybe Qa5 is best.>br/> 20...Qd3; Qxd3 Nxd3; Rxc8 Rxc8; Rd1!

20... Qa5 21.Qc4 Here b7-b6. Possibly 21.Bh3 instead of 21.Qc4, better chances for white. Complications after 21...Ne6; Rxc8 Rxc8; Bxe6 fxe6.
21...Qxa4 will simplify the position into a draw...Qxa4; Bxc5 Qxc4; Rxc4 b6; Rxa7 Rxc5; Rxc5 bxc5; Rc7=

21... b6 22.Bb4 Qa6 23.Qxa6 Nxa6 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Bd6 Nc5 26.Rc1 Nfd7 27.Bh3 Black has to play Rc6 here... if Be7 the Nf8.

27... Rc6 Black has to play this if he wants to make progress. Once one of the bishops is exchanged, black's position is easier to manage. Black also needs to watch out for his back rank here...

28.Rd1 h5 29.a5 Black just needs to consolidate and anticipate white's threats...

29... Nxe4 This will force simplification, Nxe4; Bxe5 Nxe5; axb6 axb6; Rd8+ Kh7; Bf5+ g6; Bxe4...

30.Ba3 Ndf6 Ndf6...consolidation of advantage...

31.Bb2 Nxf2 Nxf2!! He just needs to calculate it clearly...

32.Rd8+ Kh7 33.Bg2 Rc2 34.Bxe5 Rc1+ 35.Bf1? N6g4 Ok ladies and gentlemen see you next round! 0-1