CHESSBOOK REVIEWS

Latest book reviews of 1 September 2021

Wilhelminalaan 33 

7261 BP RUURLO 

The Netherlands.
           John Elburg


 
                                                        

                                                                                            
          Chess CD's

A Complete Black Repertoire versus the English, 1...e5
by  Nicholas Pert
2021
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price Euro 29.90
Windows 7 or higher
Minimum: Dual Core, 2 GB RAM, DirectX11, graphics card with 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9, ChessBase 14/Fritz 16 or included Reader and internet access for program activation. Recommended: PC Intel i5 (Quadcore), 4 GB RAM, Windows 10, DirectX11, graphics card with 512 MB RAM or more, 100% DirectX10-compatible sound card, Windows Media Player 11, DVD-ROM drive and internet access for program activation.
MacOSX  only available as download! Minimum: MacOS "Yosemite" 10.10



The well speaking educate explaining grandmaster Nicholas Perth, provides the user of this DVD with an extensive but understandable  move to move repertoire
line on the English opening, starting with the moves: 1.c4 e5,and based in big lines on the move order 1.c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 and even with 1.c4 e5 2. g3 c6.
For the index interested we have:
Early Deviations
The Four Knights
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6
4.e4
4.a3/d3
4.d4
4.e3 Bb4 5.Nd5
4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3 6.Qxc3
4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3 6.bxc3
4.g3 Bb4 5.Nd5
4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 e4 7.Ne1/Nh4
4.g3 Bb4 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 e4 7.Ng5
Reversed Bb5 Sicilian
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4
4.Bg2
4th move alternatives
White plays 2.g3
1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6
3.Bg2 d5
3.d4 e4 4th move alternatives
3.d4 e4 4.Nc3 d5 5th move alternatives
3.d4 e4 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg2
3.Nf3 e4 4.Nd4 d5 5.cxd5
3.Nf3 e4 4.Nd4 d5 5th move alternatives
Minor variations plus a wealth of exercises!
A fine example of this all is:06 2 Nc3 3 Nf3 4 e3 5 Nd5 - Bb4 5 Nd5 [A28]
[GM Nicholas Pert]
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Nd5 e4! 6.Nxb4 [6.Ng1 White has a safer option in this line with 8.d3 but Black has no problems at all. 6...0-0 7.a3 Bd6 8.d3 (8.Qc2 If Black plays accuratley against this idea then White can have some difficulties. 8...Re8 9.Ne2 b5! 10.Nxf6+ (10.Ng3 bxc4 11.Bxc4 Bb7µ) 10...Qxf6 11.cxb5 (11.c5 Be5 12.Ng3 (12.Qxe4 Bb7µ) 12...Bb7 13.Be2 Bxg3 14.hxg3 Ne5³ 0-1 (36) Salov,V (2655)-Gelfand,B (2665) Linares 1992) 11...Ne5 12.Qxe4 (12.Ng3 Bb7 13.Nxe4 Qg6 14.f3 Nxf3+ 15.gxf3 Rxe4!µ 16.fxe4 Bxe4) 12...Bb7! 13.Qd4 (13.Qxb7 Nd3+ 14.Kd1 Nxf2+ 15.Kc2 Qf5+ 16.Kb3 Nxh1µ) 13...a6³ 14.h4 Qg6 15.Nf4 Qf5 16.bxa6 Bf3? ½-½ (21) Tao,T (2366)-Chan,L (2210) Canberra 2018(16...Rxa6! 17.Bxa6 Bxa6 18.b4 Qxf4 19.Qxf4 Nd3+ 20.Kd1 Bxf4 21.exf4 Nxf2+-+) ) 8...exd3 9.Nf3 Nxd5 10.cxd5 Ne5=] 6...Nxb4 7.Nd4 [7.a3 Nc6 8.Nd4 Nxd4 9.exd4 d5 10.d3 0-0 11.dxe4 Nxe4 12.Bd3 Qf6 (12...dxc4! 13.Bxe4 Re8 14.Qe2 (14.f3 f5³) 14...Qxd4 15.f3 (15.Bxh7+ Kxh7 16.Qxe8 Bg4 17.Be3 Rxe8 is the best move(17...Qxb2) ) 15...f5 16.Be3 Qe5 17.0-0 fxe4 18.Qxc4+ Be6 19.Qxe4 Qxe4 20.fxe4 Bb3³) 13.0-0 Bf5 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 15.cxd5 Bxd5 16.Be3 Rfe8 17.Qg4 Re4 18.Qg3 Rae8 19.h3 Qe6 20.Rac1 0-1 (20) Golikov,D (2220)-Kozionov,K (2423) Moscow 2018] 7...c5 8.Nb5 [8.Nb3 b6³] 8...d5 9.a3 [9.cxd5 Bg4 (9...Nfxd5³) 10.Qa4 Qa5! 11.Qb3 (11.Qxa5 Nc2#) 11...0-0³] 9...Nd3+ 10.Bxd3 exd3 11.cxd5 Nxd5³ 12.Qf3 0-0 13.0-0 Be6 14.e4 Nb6 15.b4 cxb4 16.axb4 Nc4 17.Qg3 Rc8 18.Na3 Qd4 19.Nxc4 Rxc4 20.Ra3 Rd8 21.Qg5 Rdc8 22.Rc3 h6 23.Qg3 Rxc3 24.dxc3 d2 25.Bb2 Qc4 26.Qf3 Qxf1+ 0-1 (26) Siebrecht,S (2485)-Naiditsch,A (2641) Bastia 2005 Line
This all is well explained in a video coverage of 4 hours and 50 minutes  and all in the English language.
Included are extra apps, to memorize the opening repertoire and try play the key positions against Fritz on various levels
Plus an extra Database with important and highly instructive model games.
Perth provides you with everything you need to start attacking with the English Opening.
Conclusion: High class ChessBase material!

Master Class Vol.14 - Vasily Smyslov
by  Dr. Karsten Müller, Mihail Marin, Oliver Reeh, Yannick Pelletier
2021
http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
Price Euro 29.90
Windows 7 or higher
Minimum: Dual Core, 2 GB RAM, DirectX11, graphics card with 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9, ChessBase 14/Fritz 16 or included Reader and internet access for program activation. Recommended: PC Intel i5 (Quadcore), 4 GB RAM, Windows 10, DirectX11, graphics card with 512 MB RAM or more, 100% DirectX10-compatible sound card, Windows Media Player 11, DVD-ROM drive and internet access for program activation.
MacOSX  only available as download! Minimum: MacOS "Yosemite" 10.10

Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian: Васи́лий Васи́льевич Смысло́в; 24 March 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, who was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. And was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions.
As we can see on this well made DVD Smyslov enjoyed an extremely long career and was a very well respected chess player.One the age of 62 he managed to reach the candidate final in 1983,and it was best player of all time,Garry Kasparov who prevented him from reaching a fourth world championship match.
The well known ChessBase team, Yannick Pelletier, Mihail Marin, Karsten Müller and Oliver Reeh has managed to create a wonderful master class DVD with all Smyslov known games and where many of them cover excellent annotations.
He played close to 3,000 tournament games over seven decades, from the time of Lasker and Capablanca to the days of Anand and Carlsen!
A fine example of play is:Smyslov,Vassily - Reshevsky,Samuel Herman [C75]
World-ch17 Den Haag/Moscow (11), 11.04.1948
[Karsten Müller]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Nge7 6.d4 Bd7 7.Bb3 h6 8.Nbd2 Ng6 9.Nc4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Ne3 Bf6 12.Nd5 Re8?! [12...exd4 13.Nxd4 Re8 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.f3 Nf4 aus M.Euwe-P.Keres, Den Haag/Moscow 1948 ist genauer.] 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Qf3 Be6 16.Rd1 Bxd5?! Diese Aufgabe des Läufers gibt WeiÃY sehr durckvolle Initiative. [16...Qc8 17.h3 Na5 18.Bc2 Nc4 19.b3 Nd6 20.c4 Bxd5 21.Rxd5 b5 gibt Schwarz mehr Gegenspiel.] 17.Rxd5 Qe7 18.Qf5 Nf8 19.Be3 Ne6 20.Rad1 Red8 21.g3!? Smyslow hat die volle Kontrolle und nutzt die Zeit 21...Rd6 22.Rxd6 cxd6 23.Qg4 Kh8 24.Bb6 Nb8? Für diese Umgruppierung hat Schwarz keine Zeit. [24...Nc7 war ein besserer Beginn der Reorganisation der schwarzen Verteidigung.] 25.Bxe6! Der Beginn einer verblüffenden Abwicklung. 25...fxe6 26.Qh4!? Die schwarze Dame ist die wichtigste Verteidigerin. Ohne sie kann WeiÃY durchbrechen. Das entstehenden Endspiel ist für den Virtuosen Smyslow danach eine Sache der Technik. [26.Qf3+- (C.D.Meyer)] 26...Qd7 [26...Qxh4 27.gxh4 Nd7 28.Rxd6] 27.Qd8+ Qxd8 28.Bxd8 Nd7 29.Bc7 Nc5 30.Rxd6 Rc8 31.Bb6 Na4 32.Rxe6 Nxb2 33.Rxe5 Nc4 34.Re6 Nxb6 35.Rxb6 Rxc3 36.Rxb7 Rc2 37.h4 Rxa2 38.Kg2 a5?! [38...h5 war zäher, sollte aber auf lange Sicht ebenfalls verlieren.] 39.h5 a4 40.Ra7 Kg8 41.g4 a3 42.Kg3 Re2 43.Kf3! Der schwarze a-Bauer spielt keine echte Rolle, daher kommt ein Bauerntausch nicht in Frage. 43...Ra2 44.Ke3 Kf8 45.f3 Ra1 46.Kf4 a2 47.e5 Kg8 48.Kf5 Rf1 49.Rxa2 Rxf3+ 50.Kg6 Kf8 51.Ra8+ Ke7 52.Ra7+ 1-0
But there is more as a short biography plus Smyslov Powerbook with the opening repertoire of the 7th world champion as a variation tree and a extra training section with 24 Smyslovgames.
Video running time is a impressive  7 h and 45 minutes in the English language.
Conclusion: One of those must have DVD’s! The price is ridiculous!    

ChessBase Magazine issue 202 Extra
August  2021
ChessBase
 http://www.chessbase.com
E-Mail info@chessbase.com
ISSN 1432-8992
Euro 12,99
System requirements:
Minimum: Pentium III 1 GHz, 1 GB RAM, Windows Vista, XP (Service Pack 3), DirectX9 graphic card with 256 MB RAM, DVD-ROM drive, Windows Media Player 9, ChessBase 12/Fritz 13 or included Reader and internet connection for program activation. Recommended: PC Intel Core i7, 2.8 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, DirectX10 graphic card (or compatible) with 512 MB RAM or better, 10



The main file of this DVD or download is good for 44522 entries, and it insures you an excellent coverage of all the latest tournament games and more.
Even more interesting are the 30 analysed games in the lucky bag, where I would like you to show one of those games, so you are able to have an idea of the high analyse level of this bag:
So,Wesley (2770) - Carlsen,Magnus (2862) [C58]
Opera Euro Rapid KO chess24.com INT (3.12), 13.02.2021
[Stohl,I]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 The Opera Euro final match was a remake of the Skilling final last year. The dominant opening of the clash was the Italian, with both players playing it with both colours. [There was also a whiff of Berlin boredom after 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.Bf4 d5 14.Bd3 g6 15.Nd2 Ng7 16.Qe2 c6 17.Re1 Bf5 18.Bxf5 Nxf5 19.Nf3 Ng7 20.Be5 Bxe5 (20...Ne6 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Ne5 Re8 23.Ng4 Qd8 24.Qe5 Ng7 25.Qxe8+ Nxe8 26.Rxe8+ Qxe8 27.Nf6+ Kf8 28.Nxe8 Kxe8= is an even more popular way to split the point) 21.Nxe5 Qd6 22.Nd3 Re8 23.Qd2 f6 24.Rxe8+ Nxe8= Carlsen,M (2862)-So,W (2770) chess24.com rpd INT 2021/ Several moves later a draw was agreed.] 3...Nf6 4.Ng5 Archaic, but still interesting. Moreover Wesley analysed this sortie for Chessable some time ago, he will follow his preparation for quite a while... [Magnus usually plays it in the Giuoco Piano spirit with 4.d3 , against Dubov he has to face the original 4...h6!? (We'll check the Italians with 4...Bc5 from the Carlsen-So match in the following game.) He reacted with the original 5.Nc3!? (In practice Black is successful with 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 g5!?÷ , this sharp thrust has been employed by original and tactically gifted players such as Rapport, Wei Yi and Mamedyarov.) 5...Bb4 (5...g5?! 6.d4f is overdoing it, but Black has other playable moves, like; 5...d6 or; 5...Bc5) 6.0-0 Bxc3 (6...0-0 7.Nd5!²) 7.bxc3 0-0 8.Bb3 and now: (More usual is 8.Re1 d6 9.h3 , but Black should equalize after 9...Na5=) 8...d5 (8...d6 9.Nd2 d5 (9...Be6=) 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Ne4 Na5 12.Bxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxh6! f5 14.c4 Qc6 15.Bd2 fxe4 16.Bxa5 Qg6 Carlsen,M (2862)-Dubov,D (2710) chess24.com INT 2021 (16...exd3 17.cxd3 Bh3!? 18.gxh3 Rf6 19.f3 Qc5+© /= and the extra pawn is hardly felt.) 17.f3!?²) 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.h3?! (If White didn't like limiting his î?§ with 10.c4 Nc3 11.Qd2 Nd4" he had other moves as; 10.Bd2 or; 10.Re1 with complex play.) 10...Nxc3 11.Qe1 Nd4 12.Nxe5 Nce2+ 13.Kh1? (13.Kh2 Nxb3³ , but this is a tactical mistake.) 13...Bxh3! 14.gxh3 Nxb3 15.Qxe2 Qd5+ 16.Kh2 Nxa1 (Simpler is 16...Nd4! 17.Qe4 Qxe5+µ with a healthy extra pawn.) 17.Bb2 Carlsen,M (2862)-Dubov,D (2710) chess24.com INT 2021 17...f6µ] 4...d5 5.exd5 Na5 The main and even nowadays almost universally played continuation. [A few months ago I analysed a game of Jan Å efc (1924-2014) as a tribute to the man, who was the first trainer of both Lubo Ftacnik and myself. He won the Czechoslovakian Championship in 1955 and enjoyed playing tactical open games (Italian, Max Lange attack, Two Knights etc.) with both colours. The alternative 5...b5 6.Bf1 Nd4 7.c3 Nxd5 is weaker mainly due to the simple 8.cxd4 Qxg5 9.Bxb5+ Kd8 ¹10.0-0 (10.Qf3 Bb7 11.Nc3? (11.0-0 is necessary) 11...exd4 12.Ne2 Rb8 13.Qxf7 Nf6 14.Qc4 Bd5 (14...Bxg2!? 15.Rg1 Qxb5 16.Qxb5 Rxb5 17.Rxg2 d3µ is also promising, as 18.Nf4? Bd6 19.Nxd3 Rd5-+ wins a piece!) 15.Qd3 c5 (15...Bd6!?f) 16.Bc4 Qxg2 17.Rg1 Bxc4 18.Qxc4 Qd5 (18...Qf3µ; 18...Qxh2!?) 19.Qxd5+ Nxd5 20.d3 Kd7 21.Ng3 Re8+ 22.Kd2 g6f 23.b3? (23.Ne4³) 23...Bh6+ 24.Kd1 Nc3+ 25.Kc2 Bxc1 26.Raxc1 Rhf8 27.Rgf1 Rf3!-+ 28.Kd2? Rxg3 0-1, Ciocaltea,V-Sefc,J Dresden 1956) 10...Bb7 (10...exd4 11.Bc6 Rb8 12.d3 Qf5 13.Re1 Bd6 14.Nd2 Rb6 15.Bxd5 Qxd5 16.Nc4 Rb5 17.Bd2 Bb7 18.f3 Bc6 19.Rc1± Kravtsiv,M (2582)-Biolek,R (2404) Pardubice 2012/ White has fully consolidated his forces and can target the vulnerable î?¤d8.) 11.Qf3 Possibly the best chance is 11...Rb8 (11...exd4 12.Re1 (12.d3 Qe5 (12...Qf6 13.Qg4f; 12...Nf4 13.Bxf4 Qxb5 14.Qg3f) 13.Na3f) 12...Bd6 13.d3 Qf6 14.Qg4 Bc8 15.Qe4 c6 16.Bxc6 Bxh2+ 17.Kxh2 Qxc6 18.Qxd4 Re8 19.Bg5+ f6 20.Nc3 Bb7 21.Bh4 Rc8 22.Bg3± Saric,I (2567)-Georgiev,K (2685) Khanty-Mansiysk 2010/ White has an extra pawn and safer î?¤.) 12.dxe5 Ne3 (12...Nb4 13.d4 Qg6 14.d5 Bxd5 15.Rd1 Rxb5 16.Nc3 Kc8 17.Rxd5+-) 13.Qh3 Qxg2+ 14.Qxg2 Nxg2 15.d4 f6!?² /î?S White is better, but Black is not without counterplay and can still fight on.] 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 Nowadays the topical move. [The alternatives 8.Be2 and;
8.Qf3 have become rare and are slowly falling into oblivion.] 8...Nd5 [In the forcing tactical line 8...Ng4 9.Ne4 f5 10.Be2 h5 11.h3 fxe4 12.hxg4 Bc5 13.b4!? Qd4 14.bxc5 0-0 15.0-0 Qxa1 16.Nc3 e3 17.gxh5 exf2+ 18.Rxf2 Rxf2 19.Kxf2 Be6 20.Ba3 Qxd1 21.Bxd1÷ Black holds the complex endgame in email games: 21...Rf8+ 22.Ke1 (22.Kg3 g6 23.hxg6 Kg7 24.d3 Kxg6 25.Bf3 Rb8 26.Kf2 Bd7 27.Ne4 ½, Wedel,L (2301)-Popov,V (2295) ICCF 2020) 22...g6 23.hxg6 Kg7 24.Bf3 Rb8 25.d3 Kxg6 26.Ke2 Bf5 27.Bc1 Nb7 28.Be3 Nd8 29.Kd2 Bd7 30.Bf2 Nf7 31.Bg3 Rh8 32.Ne4 Kf5 33.a3 ½, Schreuders - Steenbekkers, ICCF 2020. However, White is the active side here and in a practical game he can try to test the defence.] 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.0-0 In open games castling is even more important than usual. [10.Nc3 Nf4 (10...0-0 11.Be2! f5 12.d3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 e4 14.Nd4 Qf6 15.0-0 Qe5 16.f4 Qe7 17.Kh1 Bd7 18.Rb1 Rad8 Yu,Y (2709)-Ding,L (2791) chess24.com rpd INT 2020 19.dxe4 fxe4 20.Be3±) 11.0-0 (11.Bf1 e4! 12.Nxe4?! (¹12.Ng1 is objectively stronger, but who would want to play the position after 12...0-0© - Black's has definite compensation.) 12...Qe7 13.d3 f5 14.Bxf4 Bxf4 15.Qe2 fxe4 16.Qxe4 Vatter,H (2361)-Linster,P (2125) Luxembourg 2013 16...Qxe4+ 17.dxe4 Bg4? /î?s) 11...Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0 13.b3 (13.Re1 leads to the position from the following note.) 13...c5 (13...Ba6 14.Re1 Re8©) 14.Ba3 Nc6 15.Ne4 Nb4 16.Bxb4 cxb4 17.Re1 Bb8 18.Ng3 Qxd3 (¹18...Qd5!?) 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Rxe5 Be6 21.Re3² /î??, Aronian,L (2765)-Ding,L (2805) Saint Louis 2019] 10...0-0 [Black follows suit, but 10...Nf4!? is played equally often and also deserves attention: 11.Re1 Nxd3 12.cxd3 0-0 13.Nc3 (13.Nxe5 c5!?© with sufficient compensation, e.g. 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.b3 Re8 16.Nc4 Rxe1+ 17.Qxe1 Nxc4 18.dxc4 (18.bxc4 Qg5 19.g3 Qg4=) už 18...Bxh2+ 19.Kxh2 Qh4+ 20.Kg1 Bxg2! 21.Kxg2 Qg4+= forces a perpetual) 13...c5 14.b3 Nc6 15.Ba3 Bg4 (¹15...Re8!? has a better reputation: 16.Ne4 Bf8 17.Rc1 Nb4 18.Bxb4 cxb4 19.Ng3 Bb7 20.Nxe5 Qd6©) 16.h3 Bxf3 (16...Bh5!?) 17.Qxf3 Nd4 18.Qd1 f5 19.Ne2 Ne6 20.Ng3 (20.Qc2 Kh8 21.Qc4 Rf6 22.Ng3 Rg6 23.Nxf5 Nf4 24.Ng3 Qf6 25.Bxc5 Bxc5 26.Qxc5 Nxd3 27.Qe3 Nxe1 28.Rxe1 h6= Caron,S (2440)-Mende,I (2433) email 2019) 20...Nf4 (20...Bc7 21.Qc2 Qd5!?=) 21.Qf3 Kh8?! (¹21...Qg5!) 22.Bb2 and here Black's setup collapsed after the tactical error 22...Qc7? (22...Bc7 23.Re3 Ne6² /î?-) 23.Nxf5!+- So,W (2684)-Halkias,S (2566) Reykjavik 2013] 11.Re1 f5!? This energetic pawn sacrifice first appeared in 2013. [It replaced the dubious 11...Bg4?! 12.h3 Bh5 13.Bf5 Qf6 14.Bg4! Bxg4 15.hxg4 Qg6 16.Nh4 Qf6 17.Nf5 Bc5 18.Nc3 Nxc3 19.dxc3 Bb6 20.b3 Rfe8 21.Qf3 Qe6 22.Ba3 Rad8 23.Rad1 f6 24.Nd6 Re7 25.Rd3 Red7 26.Red1+- Navara,D (2692)-Beliavsky,A (2656) Novi Sad 2009;
Also the more restrained 11...Re8 12.Nc3 f5 13.Bf1 e4 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Nd4 doesn't seem quite sufficient and White has been able to gradually untangle his forces: 15...Qf6 (15...Qb6 16.c3 Nc6 17.Nxc6 Qxc6 18.d3²; 15...Be5 16.c3 Qd6 17.h3 Nc6 18.Nxc6 Qxc6 19.d3 Rb8 20.a4 Rf8 21.dxe4 fxe4 22.Rb1 a5 23.Be3² /î?S, Zaas,P (2369)-Lanin,B (2033) email 2017) 16.c3 Bd7 17.d3 Nc6 18.Qb3 Qf7 19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.dxe4 Rab8 21.Qd1!? fxe4 22.Qc2² /î?S, Paulik,V (2361)-Manduch,M (2337) email 2017/ Although White's position seems passive, it's also very solid and in the long term he was usually able to convert his material advantage.] 12.Nxe5 Qf6 13.Nf3 g5 For the second pawn Black has increased his lead in development and started a direct bayonet assault against the î?¤g1. However, as we indicated, Wesley was prepared...
 14.c4 This is actually a piece sacrifice to further White's development. [After 14.g3 f4 15.Nc3 fxg3 16.hxg3 Qxf3 (16...Nxc3 17.dxc3 Bg4 18.Bxg5 Qxf3 19.Qxf3 Bxf3÷ /î?¯ is not quite clear, but here White risks less.) 17.Qxf3 Rxf3 18.Be4 Rf7 19.Nxd5 cxd5 20.Bxd5 Bb7 21.Bxf7+ Kxf7 22.d4 g4 (22...Rg8!?) 23.b3 Nc6 24.Bb2 Nb4 White faces threats on the î?T a8-h1 and he preferred the safety brake with 25.d5 Nxc2 26.Re6 Nxa1 ½, Lukas,N (2377)-Ludwig,C (2368) email 2019 27.Rxd6 Re8 28.Rd7+ Re7 29.Rxe7+ Kxe7 30.Bxa1 Bxd5= , resulting in a sterile endgame.] 14...Nf4 15.Bf1 g4 16.d4 [16.g3 Ng6 17.d4 gxf3 18.Bh6 Rf7 19.c5 Bc7 20.d5 (20.Qxf3 Be6 21.Nc3 f4÷; 20.Nc3 Ne7!?÷ /î?®) 20...Nf8? (20...Be5!?³ and it's rather Black, who can fight for an advantage.) 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 22.d6 Bd8 23.Nd2± Gagliardi,V (2137)-Pannullo,U (2281) email 2017] 16...gxf3 17.Qxf3 Ne6T The only good move. [17...Qxd4? 18.Rd1 Qe5 19.Qg3+ Kh8 20.Rxd6+-;
17...Ng6? 18.c5 Bc7 19.b4 Nb7 (19...Qxd4 20.bxa5 Rb8 21.Bd2!+-) 20.Bc4+ Kg7 21.Bb2 h6 22.Nd2 Bd7 23.Rab1 Kh7 24.d5 Be5 25.Rxe5 Nxe5 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.dxc6+- Melkumyan,H (2663)-Selbes,T (2235) chess.com blitz INT 2020] 18.Qc3! [More flexible than 18.c5 Nxd4 (Also playable is 18...Bc7!? 19.b4 Qxd4 20.Qc3 Qxc3 21.Nxc3 Aronian,L (2772)-Vidit,S (2722) Kolkata rpd 2019 Here Black should have flicked in 21...Rb8!³ and White must still prove his compensation.) 19.Qc3 Bc7 (19...Be5 20.Qxa5 Nc2 21.Bg5 Qxg5 22.Rxe5 Nxa1 23.Qc3÷ After the î?¨a1 falls, White will have enough for the exchange, but it's difficult to say if he can fight for an advantage here.) 20.b4 ¹Rb8! (20...Nb7? 21.Bc4+? (21.Bb2 Be5 22.Rxe5 Qxe5 23.Bc4+±) 21...Kg7? (21...Ne6! 22.Qb3 Re8 23.Bb2 Qh6÷) 22.Bb2 Rd8 23.Nd2 a5 24.Nb3 axb4 25.Qxd4 Rxd4 26.Bxd4 Qxd4 27.Nxd4+- So,W (2770)-Abdusattorov,N (2627) Chess.com blitz INT 2020) 21.f4 (21.bxa5 Be5) 21...Be6 22.bxa5 Rf7 23.Qd3 Rd7 24.Na3 Bxa5 25.Re5 Bc7 26.Re1 Bd5!?© Houglan,R (2099)-Deakin,C (2101) ICCF 2020/ Black has excellent piece play and full compensation here.(26...Ba5=) ] 18...Nb7 19.c5 Bc7 20.b4N [20.d5 cxd5 21.Qxf6 ½, Bartel,M (2638)-Nasuta,G (2528) Krakow 2021 Black has nothing to fear after 21...Rxf6 22.Nc3 Ba5 23.Nxd5 Bxe1 24.Nxf6+ Kf7!÷ /î?®] 20...a5 21.b5 Qxd4? A serious error. [The engine indicates he had to play 21...cxb5 22.Bxb5 a4! Black frees a5 for his pieces, this leads to an unclear position after 23.Bc4 Na5!?÷ (23...Ba5 24.Qg3+ Kh8 25.Rxe6 Bxe6 26.Bf4 Bxc4 27.Be5 Rae8 28.Bxf6+ Rxf6 29.Na3 Bd5 30.Qd3² /î??, Liang,J (2342)-Tanenbaum,Z (2137) Chess.com blitz INT 2021 is also not so easy to evaluate unequivocally. This game was played later, than ours.) ] 22.Qxd4? Wesley repays the favour and lets Magnus off the hook! Headshakes after the move indicated he immediately realised he had forgotten his preparation... [The way to go is 22.Bc4! Qxc3 23.Nxc3 Nbxc5 24.Ba3 with powerful pressure, which wins material back with dividends: 24...cxb5 (24...Ne4 25.Nxe4 fxe4 26.Bxf8 Kxf8 27.Rxe4 Ng5 28.Ree1±) 25.Nxb5 Bb6 26.Bxc5 Bxc5 27.Nc7±] 22...Nxd4 23.Bc4+ Be6! The point, Black returns the piece to reach an advantageous endgame. 24.Bxe6+ Nxe6 25.Rxe6 [25.b6? Bf4-+] 25...Nxc5 26.Re2 [26.Rxc6 Be5 27.Rxc5 Bxa1-+ and White's lack of development will cost him more material in the near future (the î?©a2 at the very least).] 26...Rfe8 27.Nc3 cxb5 28.Be3 Be5 29.Bxc5 [29.Rc1 Nd3 30.Rd1 Bxc3 31.Rxd3 Red8µ is similar.] 29...Bxc3 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.Rb1 b4 The dust has settled and White is fighting for bare life against the î?Z majority - Magnus will quickly create a powerful distant passed pawn. 32.Kf1 [32.a3 b3!-+] 32...Re5 33.Be3 a4 34.Rc1 a3! The b3 break is unstoppable in the long run. 35.g3 Rb5 36.Rc2 [36.Ke2 b3 37.Rxc3 b2 38.Rc1 bxc1Q 39.Bxc1 Rb2+!-+] 36...b3 37.axb3 Rxb3 38.Kg2 Kf7 39.Bd2 Be5 40.Bf4?! The rook endgame will be hopeless. [40.Ra2!? Rb2 (40...Bb2!?) 41.Rxa3 Rxd2 42.Rf3µ /-+ was pointed out by Karsten Müller as more resilient. Although even here Black has excellent chances to convert the extra piece, it would still require patience and technique.] 40...Bxf4 41.gxf4 Rb7!-+ Transferring the rook behind the î?^ is the most technical solution. White's rook will remain passive and Black will use zugzwang to make an inroad. 42.Ra2 Ra7 43.Kg3 Ra4 44.Kh4 Kg6 45.Kg3 Kf6 46.h3 h5 47.Kh4 Kg6 [47...Rxf4+? 48.Kxh5 Rf3 49.Kh4=] 48.Kg3 Kg7 49.Kf3 [After 49.Kh4 Kh6 50.Kg3 Kg6 51.Kh4 (51.f3 Kf6 52.Kh4 Rxf4+ 53.Kxh5 Rxf3 54.h4 Rg3 55.Rc2 f4-+) 51...Rxf4+ 52.Kg3 Ra4 53.f4 Ra8 54.Kh4 Black must realise î?¦xa3 is a threat - thus the only way to win is 54...Kf6! 55.Kg3 Ra4-+] 49...h4 50.Ke2 Kf6 51.Kd1 Ke6 52.Kc1 [52.Ke2 Kd5 53.Kd3 Rxf4 î?� 54.Rxa3? Rf3+] 52...Kd5 53.Kb1 [53.Kd2 Kc4 54.Kc2 Ra8 55.f3 Ra7-+ î?� is a typical zugzwang.] 53...Ke4 54.Rd2 Kf3 55.Ka2 Kg2 [55...Kg2 56.Rd3 Rxf4 57.Rxa3 Rxf2+-+ and the passed pawn advances decisively.]  0-1.
And at last some smashing opening videos from Robert Ris  and Mihail Marin!
Conclusion: This is ChessBase on it’s best!