GM Gukesh D - GM Raunak Sadhwani 

Chess.com Junior Speed Chess Final, (3)


B08: Pirc, Classical System (5.Be2)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 Very Karpovian! The Classical against the Pirc Defence was the favoured approach of Anatoly Karpov, the Soviet who supplanted Bobby Fischer as World Champion. His approach was less dashing, like Tal or Kasparov, but more of a positional squeeze - and in Karpov's hands in the period of the mid-1970s through to the 1980s, that squeeze was very python-like. 5...O-O 6.O-O a6 During peak Karpov times, more usual was 6...Nc6 or even 6...c6 (followed by ...Nbd7) - but for those playing ...Nc6 lines, it was discovered that playing ...a6 first was more beneficial, as forcing White to respond with a4 offers up an ideal square on b4 for the Black knight. 7.a4 Nc6 8.d5 Nb4 9.Re1 c6 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.Bf1 Bd7 12.Nd5 As typical in the Classical, White enjoys a little space advantage, and Gukesh ruthlessly exploits this in true Karpovian style. 12...Rc8 13.c3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nd7 16.Bg5 Nc5 17.b4! There is nothing much in this position - but with some deft handling, Gukesh makes the most of his tiny advantage by expanding on the queenside. 17...Ne6 18.Bh4 f6? Panic seems to be setting in early doors for Raunak. Black has to fight more energetically to stay competitive, and the only to do so was with 18...a5 19.bxa5 (The only move. After 19.b5?! Ne5 20.Qe3 f6 Black is very solid) 19...g5 20.Bg3 Nc5 21.Rad1 Ne5 22.Qe3 h6 and take your chances here. 19.Qe3 Kh8?! Again, another timid/cautious move - and with it, this gives Gukesh all the momentum he needs for a total stranglehold over his opponent. 20.f4 Nc7 21.Nb6 Rb8 22.b5 Na7 23.Rab1 More testing, as the engine is quick to spot, is 23.f5! that just totally blocks Black in. 23...Nc8 24.Nd5 As in the previous note, better again was 24.Nxc8 Qxc8 25.f5! 24...axb5 25.Bxb5! Black's b-pawn is now a liability. 25...e6

No better is 25...Nxb5 26.Rxb5 e6 27.Nb4 as long-term, the b-pawn will become a big liability. 26.Nxc7 Qxc7 27.Red1 Gukesh has the bishop-pair and the better rooks, so what's not to like here for White? 27...Ne7 28.Bf2 f5 29.e5! Offering up a pawn sacrifice that Black dare not accept, as the game opening up will only be to White's advantage with his rampant rooks and bishops lurking with intent. 29...Nd5 It's getting desperate now for Black. And while slightly better was 29...Nc8 it is no answer as White comes in over the top with 30.Qd4! dxe5 31.Qc5! Qxc5 32.Bxc5 Rg8 33.Bc4 and the bishops and rooks will soon be mopping up a lot of material. 30.exd6 Qxd6 (see diagram) 31.c4! This might be blitz, but Gukesh's masterful handling of the game and now the transition to the endgame, easily sees him going on to win with ease. 31...Nxe3 32.Rxd6 Nc2 33.Rxe6 Nd4 34.Re7 Bf6 35.Rd7 Ne2+ 36.Kf1 Nxf4 37.Ba7 Rbd8 38.Rxb7 It's not just the matter that White's a pawn up, the decisive factor is that his a- and c-pawns are passed and well supported by his bishops and rooks. The end comes swiftly. 38...Rd2? This whole game had to be agony for Raunak, who, frustrated, now decides he may as well hang for the sheep as for the lamb.

39.Be3 Rd4 40.Bxd4 Bxd4 41.a5 Nh5 42.Ke2 Bc5 43.Rd7 Nf6 44.Rc7 Ne4 45.Kd3 Nf2+ 46.Kc2 Ne4 47.a6 f4 48.a7 1-0 Black resigns with no answer to the coming Bc6 and Rb8. It is a blitz game, but nevertheless superbly executed in true Karpovian style by rising star Gukesh D!