Christmas Workshop
Meralco, Pasig City
Round 4 Board 1
White: Castro, Jose Carlo
Black: Sol Cruz, Rhal
ECO E17 Queen's Indian Defence
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Nbd7 5. O-O Be7 6. b3 O-O 7. c4 b6 8. Ne5 Bb7 9. Bb2 c5 10. e3
This is a symmetrical four pawns center formation - White has pawns on d4 and e3 and Black has pawns on d5 and e6.
In practice, however, this formation doesn't lead to many chances of full-bodied conflict, since an automatic exchange of the major pieces typically follows on the one open file.
Euwe & Kramer in The Middlegame
10... Rc8 11. Nc3
11... Nxe5?
[11... cxd4 12. exd4 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qe2 f5]
We exchange in order to seize or open a file or diagonal without loss of time.
Nimzovich in My System
12. dxe5 Ne4 13. Nxe4 dxe4 14. Qc2 Qc7 15. Bxe4 Bxe4 16. Qxe4
White is now a pawn up.
16... Rfd8
In the middlegame, seize the open files and command them with your Rs.
Chernev in Logical Chess Move by Move
17. Rad1 Rxd1?
[17... Rd7]
If both sides occupy the same open file, then neither should exchange Rs but should leave the exchange to the opponent so that the recapturing R or Q commands the open file.
Tarrasch in The Game of Chess
18. Rxd1 Rd8! 19. Rxd8+ Qxd8 20. Qb7
20... Qd1+
[20... a5]
21. Kg2 Bf8 22. Qe4 Qd2 23. Qb1 g6 24. Bc1 Qd1 25. Qb2 Bg7 26. f4 Qd3 27. Qd2
27... Qxd2+
[27... Qe4+]
If in a bad position in the middlegame, the retention of the Q will at least offer chances of perpetual in the ending, for a lone Q can often force the draw in this manner.
The Right Way to Play Chess
28. Bxd2 Bf8 29. Kf3 Be7 30. Ke4 Kf8 31. Be1 h5 32. h3
32... f5+ ??
In balanced positions, when neither side has any direct threats or concrete plan, it is necessary either to relocate your worst placed piece to its best square, or to exchange it off.
Beliavsky and Mikhalchishin in Secrets of Chess Intuition
Having said that, the correct moves, according to Rybka, are Ke8, a6 or Bd8.
33. exf6 +-
Result:1-0
