The 39th Zurich Christmas Open has been won by Azerbaijani Grandmaster, Arkadij Naiditsch. The 7-round event was held at the Crowne Plaza, Zurich, between the 26th and 30th of December. Naiditsch was top seed, but with strong opposition, which Kiril Georgiev and Christian Bauer.
Arkadij staked his claim right from the off, notching up the following point, against Borna Derakhshani, in the opening round.
[pgn height=300 layout=horizontal showmoves=figurine initialgame=first initialHalfmove=][Event “39th Zurich Christmas”]
[Site “Zurich SUI”]
[Date “2015.12.26”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Derakhshani, Borna”]
[Black “Naiditsch, Arkadij”]
[Result “0-1”]
[BlackElo “2698”]
[BlackFideId “4650891”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “B32”]
[EventDate “2015.12.26”]
[Opening “Sicilian defence”]
[WhiteElo “2176”]
[WhiteFideId “12518450”]
[WhiteTitle “CM”]{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw, for www.hotoffthechess.com } 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 { Rather embarrassingly, I have never seen this before. } 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.f4 $2 { Perhaps a little too hasty this move, and out of context. The prophylactic a3 would have been worthwhile here. } 8…Bb4 $1 { Naiditsch wastes no time in bringing his bishop to its most effective square. This is a very annoying pin, (indirectly targeting e4), and one that White has allowed a little too easily in my opinion. } 9.Qf3 { Not the best square for the Queen, here, but White is obviously thinking long term, with the idea of Kingside potential. However, again this is over-ambitious. The better square for the Queen was d3. I think White has seriously under-estimated the vulnerability of the c3-square. By the way, if you are wondering why White would allow …Bxc3, wrecking the Queenside pawns, White is actually banking on this. The damage to the pawns is something that he would be willing to accept, if it would get rid of the b4-Bishop, which is a piece causing some problems at the moment. } 9…d5 { While tempting to the eye, (not to mention technical principle that one should double the opponent’s pawns when possible), the exchange on c3 would see Black surrendering a good piece for a position of relative equality. Maintaining the tension causes White far more irritation than busted pawns would. } ( 9…Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d6 11.Bd3 O-O 12.O-O { has I think equal chances. } ) 10.e5 { Obviously, exchanging on d5 was not good for White, and would just allow Black to target c3 with yet another piece, via …Nxd5. Bd3 is also insufficient, allowing exchanges on e4, followed by …Bxc3+, the doubled pawns being more telling with a more open position and less pieces. Therefore White was probably compelled into making this move, which still allows Black to target c3 (via …Ne4) but maintains the e-and-f-pawns as possible counter-play. } 10…Ne4 { When a piece is pinned, one should attack it. } 11.Bd2 $2 { This is not the answer to White’s problems. } ( 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Nxc3 13.Bd3 { sees Black slightly better, but the Nc3 is a little solitary and I think White would actually not be too bad here. } ) 11…Nxd2 { Taking the bishop pair, while giving White a horrid Knight on d2 — Kxd2 is of course ludicrous. Black is vastly better here. } 12.Nxd2 Bd7 { At first glance, the position might seem rather close, but the quality of pieces, control of the d4-square, as well as the fact that White has not yet completed development, means that Black is commanding the position. White thinks that he can solve his problems by means of tempi, however. } 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.c3 Be7 { The Bishop is going to e7 anyway, …Bc5 being wasteful as White has b4, so it might as well go straight there. } 15.Nb3 $2 { I can only speculate that this is the explanation of White’s play over the last few moves. Derakhshani obviously thinks that he has the time to play this, followed by N5d4. He is about to have a rude awakening. } ( { A better option, perhaps, was } 15.Qf2 { when a possible continuation is } 15…Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 O-O 17.Nd4 { but Black is still clearly better. } ) 15…Nxe5 $1 { Naiditsch uses the vulnerability of the Queen and b5-Knight in order to grab some material. This device makes White’s improvement idea invalid, his own pieces are working against him. } 16.fxe5 Bxb5 17.Bxb5+ Qxb5 { And Black is a pawn to the good. } 18.Nd4 Qa6 { I really like this move, it is very good! It is a nice move to play and demonstrates the total superiority that Black enjoys on the board. He has the better position, and is a pawn up, so achieving the exchange of Queens is in his favour. He has virtually forced White to comply by making it impossible for him to castle. Meanwhile, Black himself is ready to castle and quickly centralise his rooks. Therefore, White must solve his problem or resign. } ( 18…Qxb2 { is also perfectly playable } 19.O-O O-O 20.Rfb1 Qa3 21.Rxb7 { is not enough for White to not be in huge trouble. } ) 19.Qg4 { This move suggests that White either feels that he is doing better than he is, or that he has decided to go all in for the win or to try and force a draw, hoping for an error from his opponent. One will not be forthcoming. } ( { Another way is } 19.Rf1 O-O 20.Qe2 Qxe2+ 21.Kxe2 Bc5 { when Black should like the position very much. } ) 19…O-O 20.h4 { This move is very inappropriate. White’s sentiment should be that of improvement, not aggression. } 20…Rac8 21.Rh3 f5 22.Qf4 { Eyeing the h6-square, after Rg3. A huge case of chess denial, White’s position is worsening by the move. } 22…Bc5 23.Nb3 Bb6 24.Nd2 { When one starts making moves such as this, mainly in defence, (guarding against …Rc4, for instance), then there are big problems. } 24…d4 { And now, Black will begin to open lines towards the White King. c4 is not really viable due to …Ba5. } 25.cxd4 Rc2 { The beginning of the end. } 26.Rg3 Ba5 { Naiditsch piles on the pressure. } 27.Rd1 Rxb2 28.Qh6 { This is either a bluff or poor judgement of the position. Black demonstrates this in the most direct manner. } 28…Bxd2+ { and White resigned. } 0-1[/pgn]
[Site “Zurich SUI”]
[Date “2015.12.26”]
[Round “1.1”]
[White “Derakhshani, Borna”]
[Black “Naiditsch, Arkadij”]
[Result “0-1”]
[BlackElo “2698”]
[BlackFideId “4650891”]
[BlackTitle “GM”]
[ECO “B32”]
[EventDate “2015.12.26”]
[Opening “Sicilian defence”]
[WhiteElo “2176”]
[WhiteFideId “12518450”]
[WhiteTitle “CM”]{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw, for www.hotoffthechess.com } 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 { Rather embarrassingly, I have never seen this before. } 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Be3 Qc7 8.f4 $2 { Perhaps a little too hasty this move, and out of context. The prophylactic a3 would have been worthwhile here. } 8…Bb4 $1 { Naiditsch wastes no time in bringing his bishop to its most effective square. This is a very annoying pin, (indirectly targeting e4), and one that White has allowed a little too easily in my opinion. } 9.Qf3 { Not the best square for the Queen, here, but White is obviously thinking long term, with the idea of Kingside potential. However, again this is over-ambitious. The better square for the Queen was d3. I think White has seriously under-estimated the vulnerability of the c3-square. By the way, if you are wondering why White would allow …Bxc3, wrecking the Queenside pawns, White is actually banking on this. The damage to the pawns is something that he would be willing to accept, if it would get rid of the b4-Bishop, which is a piece causing some problems at the moment. } 9…d5 { While tempting to the eye, (not to mention technical principle that one should double the opponent’s pawns when possible), the exchange on c3 would see Black surrendering a good piece for a position of relative equality. Maintaining the tension causes White far more irritation than busted pawns would. } ( 9…Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d6 11.Bd3 O-O 12.O-O { has I think equal chances. } ) 10.e5 { Obviously, exchanging on d5 was not good for White, and would just allow Black to target c3 with yet another piece, via …Nxd5. Bd3 is also insufficient, allowing exchanges on e4, followed by …Bxc3+, the doubled pawns being more telling with a more open position and less pieces. Therefore White was probably compelled into making this move, which still allows Black to target c3 (via …Ne4) but maintains the e-and-f-pawns as possible counter-play. } 10…Ne4 { When a piece is pinned, one should attack it. } 11.Bd2 $2 { This is not the answer to White’s problems. } ( 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Nxc3 13.Bd3 { sees Black slightly better, but the Nc3 is a little solitary and I think White would actually not be too bad here. } ) 11…Nxd2 { Taking the bishop pair, while giving White a horrid Knight on d2 — Kxd2 is of course ludicrous. Black is vastly better here. } 12.Nxd2 Bd7 { At first glance, the position might seem rather close, but the quality of pieces, control of the d4-square, as well as the fact that White has not yet completed development, means that Black is commanding the position. White thinks that he can solve his problems by means of tempi, however. } 13.Nb5 Qb6 14.c3 Be7 { The Bishop is going to e7 anyway, …Bc5 being wasteful as White has b4, so it might as well go straight there. } 15.Nb3 $2 { I can only speculate that this is the explanation of White’s play over the last few moves. Derakhshani obviously thinks that he has the time to play this, followed by N5d4. He is about to have a rude awakening. } ( { A better option, perhaps, was } 15.Qf2 { when a possible continuation is } 15…Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 O-O 17.Nd4 { but Black is still clearly better. } ) 15…Nxe5 $1 { Naiditsch uses the vulnerability of the Queen and b5-Knight in order to grab some material. This device makes White’s improvement idea invalid, his own pieces are working against him. } 16.fxe5 Bxb5 17.Bxb5+ Qxb5 { And Black is a pawn to the good. } 18.Nd4 Qa6 { I really like this move, it is very good! It is a nice move to play and demonstrates the total superiority that Black enjoys on the board. He has the better position, and is a pawn up, so achieving the exchange of Queens is in his favour. He has virtually forced White to comply by making it impossible for him to castle. Meanwhile, Black himself is ready to castle and quickly centralise his rooks. Therefore, White must solve his problem or resign. } ( 18…Qxb2 { is also perfectly playable } 19.O-O O-O 20.Rfb1 Qa3 21.Rxb7 { is not enough for White to not be in huge trouble. } ) 19.Qg4 { This move suggests that White either feels that he is doing better than he is, or that he has decided to go all in for the win or to try and force a draw, hoping for an error from his opponent. One will not be forthcoming. } ( { Another way is } 19.Rf1 O-O 20.Qe2 Qxe2+ 21.Kxe2 Bc5 { when Black should like the position very much. } ) 19…O-O 20.h4 { This move is very inappropriate. White’s sentiment should be that of improvement, not aggression. } 20…Rac8 21.Rh3 f5 22.Qf4 { Eyeing the h6-square, after Rg3. A huge case of chess denial, White’s position is worsening by the move. } 22…Bc5 23.Nb3 Bb6 24.Nd2 { When one starts making moves such as this, mainly in defence, (guarding against …Rc4, for instance), then there are big problems. } 24…d4 { And now, Black will begin to open lines towards the White King. c4 is not really viable due to …Ba5. } 25.cxd4 Rc2 { The beginning of the end. } 26.Rg3 Ba5 { Naiditsch piles on the pressure. } 27.Rd1 Rxb2 28.Qh6 { This is either a bluff or poor judgement of the position. Black demonstrates this in the most direct manner. } 28…Bxd2+ { and White resigned. } 0-1[/pgn]
The above win would be Naiditsch’s first win of four in a row, but he would not be the only one in form. After round-4, he, Bauer and Kunin, would be at the top of the table with 4/4. Draws on the top boards in round-5, (including his tie with Kunin), would see things largely unchanged at the top. However, Naiditsch was back to his winning ways in round 6, which put him in sole lead with 5.5/6 going into the final round. Though he could only manage a draw with Black against Christian Bauer, he had done enough to claim the tournament outright.
Top Final Standings:
[table id=7 /]
