The final round of the Hoogeveen Masters tournament was played on Saturday 22nd October. It saw Ivan Sokolov seal victory over Jorden Van Foreest, with a very comfortable draw. Being a point ahead going in to this round, Sokolov only needed to avoid losing in order to decide things in his favour. Their match had followed a pattern thus far, of all games being decided and won by White. Van Foreest would, therefore, need to keep that pattern going in order to draw the match. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t manage it.
In the Scotch Game, his decision to go on a pawn hunt proved costly to him. His 15.Qa5 was out of context and 17.Qxc7 did very little other than opening the c-file for his opponent — not ideal with White having castled long. Sokolov built up a very strong initiative and White had to make some very good moves at crucial times to save the point. This he did manage to do, however; but, in his situation the draw was not enough.
Sokolov won the match 3½-2½.
Nigel Short had already sealed victory in his match against Yifan Hou. It was just as well really, as he got well and truly caught in their final game. The problem for Nigel, playing Black in a Ruy, was that his King was neglected by his own pieces. 25…g6, gave White a weakness to probe, and unlike Black, she had her forces on the right side of the board and her Queen’s rook ready to swing over in support. Black’s 27…Nb6 (?? …Kh8 was essential) provided White with the opportunity to strike in decisive fashion, which she duly did. From here, Black was doomed, and facing heavy material loss or mate. A nice game by Hou, but unfortunately a little too late for her to do anything in the match other than reduce the scale of her defeat.
Short wins by a point, 3½-2½.
My congratulations to Short and Sokolov on their victory. I think Yifan Hou will be a little disappointed to have not performed better, she produced little of the sparkle that we have come to associate with her. However, it has to be said that she was not given much opportunity by her opponent, who played a very tight and controlled match. Jorden Van Foreest will also be rather disappointed, by his final game especially, his match with Sokolov was hugely exciting, filled with fighting chess and punch and counter-punch. Really, it deserved to be a 3-3 affair, but Van Foreest had a very bad day at the office in round six. Still, he has shown a little of what he is capable of and I am sure we will be hearing a lot more of him.
[Site “Hoogeveen NED”]
[Date “2016.10.22”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Hou, Yifan”]
[Black “Short, Nigel D”]
[Result “1-0”]
[BlackElo “2670”]
[BlackFideId “400025”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “C99”]
[EventDate “2016.10.16”]
[Opening “Ruy Lopez”]
[Variation “closed, Chigorin, 12…c5d4”]
[WhiteElo “2649”]
[WhiteFideId “8602980”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Bd7 14.Nf1 Rac8 15.Re2 Rfe8 16.Ng3 Bd8 17.b3 Nc6 18.Bb2 Qa7 19.d5 { This seems to be a new move. Most common, here, was 19.a3, which seems ok for White, with a win for White in Pruijssers-Estrada Nieto, 2010 and a couple of draws than I can find. 9.dxe5 recorded a win for Black in Handke-Postny, 2002. } 19…Nb4 { Naturally this seems the more positive move to play, but after Bb1 the Knight is out on a limb. …Nge7, which seems the more negative way to play, seems to give Black a little more. } ( 19…Ne7 20.Nh4 ( 20.Ba3 Qb8 21.Rc1 { with …Ng6 or …b4 totally fine, here. } ) 20…Bb6 21.Rc1 Bc5 { seems to hold things together nicely for Black. } ) 20.Bb1 a5 21.a3 Na6 22.b4 Qb7 ( 22…axb4 23.axb4 Qb7 24.Qd2 Nc7 { sees Black with a bit of a passive setup. } ) 23.Qd2 axb4 24.axb4 Nc7 { basically arriving at the above variation but via a different move order. } 25.Nh4 g6 { White would have been quite pleased to see this, Black compromises his King position in order to guard f5. } ( 25…Nh5 26.Nxh5 Bxh4 27.Ra3 { with the better stance. } ) 26.Ra3 { White has a very flexible setup here, and in a way, the …g6 of Black is neither here nor there. White still has options of playing her knight to f5 and upon …gxf5, swinging her rook over to the Kingside. Coupled with the possibility of Qh6 this is a potent idea. } 26…Na8 { the Knight is on its way to b6 and c4. } 27.Rf3 { Qh6 was perhaps a little more direct, when the threat of a knight hopping to f5 is a bit more real. } 27…Nb6 { ? Black had to put his knight idea on hold for a bit, …Kh8 was necessary, here, in order to give his knight the g8-square. } 28.Qh6 { With a big initiative. Had Black played …Kh8, this move would lose to …Ng8 due to the knight on h4 hanging. } 28…Kh8 { It is too late, now, Hou pounces. } ( 28…Be7 29.Nhf5 Bxf5 30.Nxf5 Bf8 31.Qh4 Nbd7 32.Nh6+ { with a powerful position. } ) 29.Rxf6 { ! Taking her opportunity to deprive her opponent’s King of defensive pieces and cover. It is crucial that most of Black’s pieces are now on the wrong side of the board. There is very little hope for Short from here. } 29…Bxf6 30.Nh5 gxh5 31.Qxf6+ Kg8 32.Re3 Bg4 { There is nothing else than this, allowing Rg3+ will result in Black getting mated. His pieces are just not able to get over in time in order to protect his King. However, this only delays matters. } 33.Qg5+ Kh8 34.hxg4 Qe7 35.Qxh5 Na4 36.Rh3 { Nf5 is the threat. } 36…Qf6 { As good as anything, perhaps …Qc7 was less bad but it was not possible for Black to answer White’s power here, he is doomed. } 37.Rf3 Qg7 38.Rxf7 Qg8 39.Qf5 { And Nigel Short resigned, here. The threat is simply Qf6+ and Black gets mated. Other than sacrificing Queen for rook, Black has no way to stop this. A consolidatory win, then, for the Chinese Grandmaster, reducing her defeat in the match to a point. } 1-0
[Event “Van Foreest-Sokolov m”]
[Site “Hoogeveen NED”]
[Date “2016.10.22”]
[Round “6”]
[White “Van Foreest, Jorden”]
[Black “Sokolov, Ivan”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[BlackElo “2623”]
[BlackFideId “14400030”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “C45”]
[EventDate “2016.10.16”]
[Opening “Scotch game”]
[WhiteElo “2615”]
[WhiteFideId “1039784”]
[WhiteTitle “GM”]
{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. } 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 { The Scotch Game. Each game in this 6 game match has been decided so far and in White’s favour. Can Jorden Van Foreest keep that going in this final game in order to draw the match. } 3…exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6 { …Bc5 and …Nf6 are the usual ways to go here. } 5.Nb5 Bc5 6.Qe2 Bb6 7.N1c3 Ba5 8.Bd2 a6 9.Na3 { Nd5 was also possible, but ends up very drawy. } ( 9.Nd5 Qxb2 10.Nbxc7+ Bxc7 11.Nxc7+ Kd8 12.Nxa8 Qxa1+ 13.Qd1 Qe5 { is about equal, and not what White is looking for in this game. } ) 9…b5 10.O-O-O Nge7 11.Nd5 { very natural play. } 11…Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Nxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.Be2 { A little quiet, perhaps. d5-d6 was also possible, but Van Foreest most likely declined it due to the exchanges that result — in his must win situation, it is preferable to keep pieces on. } ( 14.d6 cxd6 15.Qxd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 Bb7 17.f3 Rc8 18.Kb1 { Sees White the better, but what exactly is possible from here remains to be seen. } ) 14…d6 15.Qa5 { ? A questionable move, positionally — and aas I recall, we’ve seen a few of these faulty Queen excursions to the wing in this match, with both players being guilty of it. Here, it is quite out of context. White should be concentrating on development, especially with the Black King still in the centre, Rhe1 being one possible way, or challenging the active Queen on f6 with Qd4. I know I mentioned that White really wants to maintain pieces, but this is quantifiable and in this case balanced by the relative activity of the pieces. } 15…O-O 16.Rhe1 Bf5 17.Qxc7 { Ok, so a pawn is a pawn, but in compensation for it, Black has the open c-file and develops a rook to it with tempo. } 17…Rfc8 18.Qb6 Rc5 { Preparing to double up on the c-file, but also cutting off the easy Queen relocation along the g1-a7 diagonal. Black has a slight edge here, I would say, and has benefitted greatly from White’s time-consuming pursuit of a pawn. } 19.Rd2 { ? Bf3 was necessary here. } 19…Rac8 { …Qe5 was much more testing, putting another piece in d5 and preventing Bf3 due to the Re1. Of course, not …Rxd5 when White has Bf3; or …Nxd5 which loses to Rxd5 and Qc6. } ( 19…Qe5 20.Qb7 Rac8 21.Red1 h6 { And White’s pieces are rather tied up bystanders. After Kb1 (which is very advisable here) Black has …Nxd5 and the best of things. } ) ( 19…Rxd5 ) 20.Qxa6 { ? Again, Bf3 was necessary, not only in defence of the d-pawn, but White has to improve his development. Instead, this pawn grabbing has the potential to be very damaging to White. } 20…Qg5 { ? Not the right move, 20…Nxd5 would have had White in all kinds of trouble. } ( 20…Nxd5 { Not only getting the d5-pawn, but the threat is to now capture on c2 with …Bxc2. } 21.Bd1 { Necessary. Otherwise, …Bxc2 is extremely strong for Black. White does not have enough protection on c2 and would need his King to make the final capture. Because of the location of the White Queen, …Nb4+ would then be decisive. } 21…Qh6 { A move with a sting, namely along the c1-h6 diagonal, a nasty pin on the Rd2 and an obligation to the White King to defend it. } 22.Qb7 { In anticipation of b5-b4, when Nc4 is possible due to the queen eyeing the Nd5. } 22…b4 23.Nc4 { This move is crucial to White’s survival … such as it is. Nb1 was out of the question, White would be getting mated. Nb5 is of course possible, but it does not mask the Black rooks along the c-file. } 23…Bxc2 24.Bxc2 Rxc4 25.Kd1 { Sees Black with a firm grip on the position, and White under severe pressure. } ) 21.Bd1 { Although it looks a bit iffy, it would have been prudent to get the King off of c1 under the circumstances. } ( 21.Kd1 b4 22.Nc4 { and White can breathe here. } ) 21…b4 22.h4 { This was one way to go, Qxd6 being the other. } ( 22.Qxd6 Ng6 23.Qg3 { And White should be fine, here. } 23…Qh6 { The exchange of Queens would leave Black with nothing, which in Sokolov’s case may have been acceptable, of course, needing only to draw. } 24.Qe3 bxa3 25.b4 Qxe3 26.Rxe3 Rc4 27.b5 R4c5 28.Rb3 { sees Black undeniably better, but White is fighting. } ) 22…Qh6 23.Rxe7 { Also fine was Qa4 } ( 23.Qa4 { eyeing the e8-square of course. } 23…bxa3 24.Rxe7 axb2+ 25.Kb1 Kf8 26.Re3 { = } ) 23…bxa3 24.Re3 { Qa4 was slightly better. } 24…axb2+ 25.Kb1 Qxh4 26.g4 { An immediate Qxd6 would have allowed …Qa4, with an initiative to Black. So, White gives a pawn in order to prevent that, and also to get the bishops off the board. Both have been a pain in the neck to White. } 26…Bxg4 27.Qxd6 h5 { This is an important move, saving things from happening on the back rank, plus the h-pawn is now an endgame threat to White. Without it, then after the exchanges that follow, White’s position may actually be rather fruitful. } 28.Bxg4 Qxg4 29.Re8+ Rxe8 30.Qxc5 Qg1+ { …h4 could have kept things tense, (but not promising to either player with correct play), but Sokolov has seen the draw and decides to take it. } 31.Kxb2 { From here, it’s just repetition and perpetuals. } 31…Rb8+ 32.Kc3 Qa1+ 33.Kd3 Qf1+ 34.Kd4 Qe1 35.Kc3 Qa1+ 36.Kd3 Qf1+ 37.Kd4 Qe1 38.Kc3 { And the players split the point, here. I think Jorden Van Foreest will be slightly disappointed with this game. A nice controlled game by Ivan Sokolov. } 1/2-1/2
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