Zukertort Opening, Queen's Pawn Defense

VLADIMIR KRAMNIK vs. ALEXANDER BELIAVSKY
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 1995

1. Nf3, d5

The Queen's Pawn Defense of Zukertort Opening.

2. g3, c6
3. Bg2, Bg4
4. 0-0, Nd7
5. d4, e6
6. Nbd2, f5
7. c4, Bd6
8. Qd3, Rb8
9. Re1, Nh6
10. cxd5, cxd5
11. h3, Bh5
12. e4!!, fxe4
13. Ng5, Bf7

If 13....Qxg5, then 14. Nxe4 Qe7, 15. Bg5 Nf6, 16. Nxd6 Qxd6, 17. Bf4 with a good play for White.

14. Ndxe4, dxe4
15. Nxe6!! ....


White breaks open the center pawns.

15. .... Bxe6

If 15....Qf6, then 16. Rxe4 Be7, 17. Bg5 and White gains material.

16. Qxe6, Qe7
17. Rxe4, Kd8

If 17....Qxd6, then 18. Rxd6+ Be7, 16. Bg5 Nf6, 17. Rae7 Nf5, 18. g4 and the pinned Knight will eventually fall.

18. Qd5!!, Resigns

If 18.....Qf8, then 19. Re6 Bc7, 20. Bg5+ Kc8, 21. Re7 Qd8, 22. Rc1 with excellent attacking possibilities.

Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

VESELIN TOPALOV vs. VASSILY IVANCHUK
Ciudad de Linares 1999
Zukertort Opening, Sicilian Invitation

1. Nf3, c5

Black invites White to play the Sicilian Defense, hence this opening becomes, on the part of Black, the Sicilian Invitation.

2. c4, Nc6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, e6
5. g3, Bb4+
6. Nc3, Qa5
7. Nb5, d5

White intends to play 8. Nd6+. Black's last move renders it unplayable.

8. a3, Bxc3+
9. bxc3, Nf6
10. Bg2 ....

Aggressive players would have preferred the more aggressive 10. Nd6+ thereby displacing Black's King.

10. .... 0-0
11. Qb3, dxc4
12. Qxc4, e5
13. Nd6, Be6
14. Qd3, e4

Certainly not 14.....Rad8, 15. Nxb7! Rxd3, 16, Nxa5 and Black comes materially ahead.

15. Nxe4, Nxe4
16. Bxe4, Rad8
17. Qc2 ....

The immediate pawn capture 17. Bxh7 is not plausible because of 17....Kh8, 18. Qc2 Nd4, and Black captures either the c-pawn or the h7-Bishop.

17. .... Nd4
18. Qb2. Nxe2!!

Opening the e-file enables Black to penetrate White's defense.

19. Kxe2, Rfe8
20. Qb4, Qh5+
21. f3, f5
22. g4, Qh3
23. gxf5, Bxf5
24. Qc4+, Kh8
25. Re1, Rxe4+

White resigns, Black is assured of victory after 26. fxe4 Bg4+, 27. Kf2 Qxh2+, 28. Ke3 (not 28. Kf1 Rf8 mate) Qg3 mate.

Black would give the same reply if White moved the Bishop instead of the Rook in the 25th move:  e.g. 25. Be3 Rxe4, 26. fxe4 Qg2+, 27. Bf2 Bg4+, 28. Ke3 Qg3 mate.

An amazing finale.

Zukertort Opening

The Zukertort Opening was already discussed in one previous blog.  The following game demonstrates the Nimzo-Larsen Variation of the opening.

VIACHESLAV RAGOZIN vs. PETER ROMANOVSKY
Leningrad, 1927

1. Nf3, Nf6
2. b3 ....

The Nimzo-Larsen Variation.  It aims to develop the c1 Bishop at once.

2. .... g6
3. Bb2, Bg7
4. g3, d5
5. Bg2, c5
6. 0-0, 0-0
7. d3, Nc6
8. c4, d4
9. Nbd2, Qc7
10. h3, Nh5
11. Ne4, b6
12. a3, Bb7
13. Qc2, f5
14. Ned2, e5!!

Solidifying the central pawn structure.  This is crucial to the outcome of the game.

15. b4, Rae8

Black correctly assessed that the center is more important than his right flank.  If 15....cxb4, 16. axb4 Nxb4, 17. Qb3 a5, 18. Ba3.... then the resulting position favors White.

16. Rfb1, e4!!
17. dxe4, fxe4
18. Ng5 ....

It is unwise to take the pawn. If 18. Nxe4 cxb4, 19. axb4 Nxb4, 20. Qb3 Bxe4 then Black gains material.

18. .... Rxf2!!
19. Ndxe4 ....

 If 19. Kxf2 then Black replies with 19....Qxg3!! Kg1, 20. Nxb4 threatening 21. Qxg2 mate.

19..... Nxb4
20. axb4, Rxg2+
21. Kxg2, Qxg3+
22. Kf1 ....

If 22. Kh1, then Black continues with 22....Be5, 23. e3 Qxg5...

22. .... Bxe4
23. Qxe4 ....

No other choice. For if 23. Nxe4 Rf8+...

23. .... Rxe4
24. Nxe4, Qxh3+
White resigns.

No matter where the White King goes, he will have a hard time defending his position (i.e. 25. Kg1 Nf4!! and mate next move. If 25. Ke1 or Kf2 Black still weaves a mating net with combination of Bh6, Nf4, Qe3, or Qh1).

Zukertort / Reti Opening

The Zukertort Opening is also known by another term "Reti Opening" and is characterized by the opening move 1. Nf3 although most sources define the Réti more narrowly by the sequence 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4.

TIGRAN PETROSIAN vs. LUDEK PACHMAN
It Bled, 1961
Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation

1. Nf3, c5
2. g3, Nc6
3. Bg2, g6
4. 0-0, Bg7
5. d3, e6
6. e4, Nge7
7. Re1, 0-0
8. e5, d6
9. exd6, Qxd6
10. Nbd2, Qc7
11. Nb3, Nd4
12. Bf4, Qb6
13. Ne5, Nxb3
14. Nc4 ....

A tempo move.

14. .... Qb5
15. axb3, a5

The pawn advance prevents 16. Ra5.

16. Bd6, Bf6

If 16. ... Re8 then 17. Be5! ... creating a potential fork attack on d6 by Knight.

17. Qf3, Kg7
18. Re4 ! ....

Fischer commented at this point that Petrosian is preparing for a very beautiful finish.

18. .... Rd8
19. Qxf6+!!


19. .... Kxf6
20. Be5+, Kg5

If 20....Kf5, then 21. Ne3+ Kg5, 22. Bg7 ... with the same outcome as in the actual game.

21. Bg7, Resigns

There is no hope after 21....Nf5, 22. h4+ Nxh4, 23. gxh4+ then 24. Bf3+ or Bh3+ whichever way the Black King goes.

If 21….h5, then 22. h4+ Kf5, 23. Bh3 or Ne3 mate.

If 21….f5, then 22. h4+ Kh5, 23. Bf3 mate.

A gem of a game!