European Individual Chess

by report GM Miso Cebalo

12Championship
th
The most surprising result in this high society is a convincing win of an other Roumanian GM, Mircea-Emilian Parligras, against the defending champion Ian Nepomniachtchi (RUS), which means that one of two traditions mentioned in the previous bulletin threatens to continue. For some reasons which will be seen in the comments, their game reminds me of a well known Dostoyevski's novel "Crime and Punishment". I must admit that I am following with special attention GM Anatoly Vaisser, who is playing under the French flag and who succeeded the author of these lines on the Senior throne. For the time being he is doing very well, after his win in the third round he is now in the group with 3 points. Parligras,M g2598 Nepomniachtchi,I g2729 ECO D85 1.d4 f6 2.c4 g6 3.c3 d5 4.cxd5 xd5 5.e4 xc3 6.bxc3 g7 7.e3 c5 8.d2 cxd4
8...a5 is the main line which promises Black a rather easy equality, but not more than that. It is easy to understand that such a scenario doesnt suit Black.

3
Round

On the first 26 tables, where players with the perfect score met each other, there were 12 decisive games in round 3. It means that we now have 12 leaders, among them Dieter-Liviu Nisipeanu (ROM), who won European Championship in 2005.

9.cxd4 c6 10.d1 00 11.f3 g4 12.e2 c8

12...xf3 13.xf3 e5 was a reasonable alternative.

Mircea Parligras

13.00 xf3
13...a5 14.xa5 xa5 was obviously too drawish and didnt fit with Blacks ambitions.

14.xf3 a5
After this dubious knight maneuvre Black will face problems very soon. The last chance to fight for equality was 14...e5 15.dxe5 xe5

15.g5! b6 16.e5!
White opens his light square bishop which will play a decisive role in this game.

16...d7 17.fe1 c4 18.e2 e6 19.h4!

Beginning an attack which will be hard to stop.

19...h6 20.c1 b5
20...h5 21.e4 c7 22.g4 hxg4 23.xg4 would have been hardly better.

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21.h5 g5

th

European Individual Chess

Championship

22.e4!
With the idea to change diagonal in order to create threats against the black king.

22...b6?!
22...a6 was a lesser evil.

23.d3 d5
This looses a pawn for nothing, but it was already too late for a good advice. After, lets say 23...b4 comes 24.e4 fd8 25.xg5 hxg5 26.h6 xh6 27.h7+ f8 28.xh6+ with a winning attack.

24.xb5 e7 25.d2 f5
Trying desperately to find some activity as compensation, but this move only worsens Blacks position.

26.exf6 xf6 27.c4 f7 28.xd5 exd5 29.b4 f4 30.c5 f8

30...h4 looks more resistant, at least.

31.e6
Now its over, White is going for an easily winning endgame.

31...xe6 32.xe6 f7 33.a6 xc5 34.dxc5 xc5 35.xh6

35.xa7+ was also good enough.

35...a4

36.b1!
The most energetic way to finish the game. White is going for mate.

36...d4 37.b7+ g8 38.g6+ h8 39.h6+ g8 40.d6 c8 41.h6 d3 42.g3

After this last finesse which prevents 42...h4 it was time for Black to throw in the towel.

10

Miso Cebalo

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