Korchnoi,V (2566) - Dizdarevic,E (2483)

Viktor Korchnoi

Korchnoi,V (2566) - Dizdarevic,E (2483) [A32]
17th TCh-Eur Novi Sad SRB (5)

26.10.2009

[by Pein,Malcolm]

1.c4 e6

Korchnoi has occasionally favoured the development of the bishop to g5 against the Hedgehog. Usually it goes to e3 or b2 1...c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 b6 4.e4 d6 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb7 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.Nxc6 Bxc6 9.Bg5 eventually drawn Kortschnoj,V (2695)-Gheorghiu,F (2605)/London 1980/MCD (59).

2.Nc3 c5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6

Opting for a Hedgehog. 5...Nc6 and 5...Bb4 are more combative but there is nothing wrong with this of course [5...Bb4 6.Bg5 Nc6 7.Rc1 Qb6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 White won Kortschnoj,V-Furman,S/Moscow 1961/URS-ch (43).

6.Bg5 b6 7.e4 h6

Black later regrets this but at this stage it makes some sense to sideline the bishop slightly.

8.Bh4 d6 9.Bd3 Be7 10.Rc1 Bb7 11.Qe2 Nbd7 12.Bb1 Rc8 13.Bg3 Qc7 14.0-0 Qc5

Grabbing the c4 pawn in such positions is usually risky, the queen can get into trouble. In this concrete age of computer pawn grabbing it may be possible but most human players would reject it 14...Qxc4 15.Qd2 Qb4.

15.Qd1 0-0

With a pawn on h6 this is a little risky. Some alternatives 15...Qxc4 16.Nce2 Qb4 17.Rxc8+ Bxc8 18.Nc6 would certainly worry me; 15...Qh5!?; 15...h5 A computer suggestion to which it wittily suggests 16.Bh4 and not then 16...g5 17.Nb3.

16.Nb3 Qc7

16...Qxc4?? 17.Nd5.

17.f4 Qb8 18.Qe2!

e4-e5 looms so Black prevents it but gives away a couple of big squares and suddenly his position does not look like a Hedgehog anymore

18...e5 19.fxe5 Nxe5

19...dxe5 20.Nd5 Rfe8.

20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.exd5

Nd4-f5 is a serious threat and the bishop on b1 is doing rather better than it's counterpart on b7.

21...Bg5

This helps the white attack. 21...g6 was the best defence.

22.Rc3 Rce8 23.Qc2 Ng6

23...g6 24.h4 Bd8 25.h5.

24.h4 Be3+

Black is lost already h4-h5 is too strong 24...Be3+ 25.Kh2 h5 26.Rxf7 Rxf7 27.Qxg6 Rf6 28.Qh7+ Kf7 29.Qxh5+ Kg8 30.Bh7+ Kf8 31.Bg6; 24...Be3+ 25.Kh2 f5 26.Rf3 Bc5 27.Nxc5 bxc5 28.Rxf5.
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