[Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "1"] [White "nitishdas"] [Black "Kronus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "2018"] [BlackElo "1520"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {So the Final starts and it is a repeat of the first round match between Nitishdas and Kronus, DarshunKarpov the other junior was just not experienced enough to cope with Nitishes famous (in some circles) brilliance and Kronus knocked out the two adults rather conclusively. All three juniors have a bright future but would it be Kronus or Nitish that had bragging rights to be the 2016-2017 Grand Prix Knock-Out champion. Well the first game was a tight affair, but i was surprised to see they played like reverse positions ie Kronus played a Nitish Opening and Nitish played a Kronus one. after a bit lose play with his pawns, nitish broke through mainly on the kingside which was unconventional because while he had castled Kingside, Kronus had castled the other side. Such an attack was famously carried out by the great Botvinnik in a game and here too it is incredibly successful.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 { a closed Sicilian Defence...} 3. f4 d5 4. Nf3 d4 $5 (4... Nc6 5. Bb5 $11 { this is how this line usually goes.}) 5. Ne2 $6 (5. Bb5+ $1 {stopping the Bishop from getting hemmned in.} Bd7 $11) 5... Nf6 $1 6. d3 Nc6 7. g3 b5 (7... Be7 {a more common line than b5...}) 8. Bg2 Bb7 9. O-O Qb6 $146 {a usefull novelty} (9... Be7 {played in a game between two amatuers}) 10. Kh1 $2 (10. a4 $11) 10... O-O-O $4 (10... Be7 $15) 11. Neg1 h5 12. Nh4 $1 Be7 13. Ngf3 Rdg8 14. Ng5 $3 Nd8 15. Qe2 $3 Ng4 $1 16. f5 f6 $4 {a loose pawn move which allows a break through by Nitish because the g6 square is too weak.} 17. Ng6 $3 fxg5 18. Nxe7+ Kd7 19. Nxg8 Rxg8 20. Bxg5 Nf7 21. Bd2 Nfe5 22. h3 Nf6 23. Bf4 Nc6 24. e5 $3 Ne8 25. fxe6+ $1 Kxe6 26. Qxh5 $3 Ne7 27. Qg4+ $1 Nf5 {pretty much forced as thealternative 27...Kf7 looks bad with discovered checks from the Bishop on f4 moving.} 28. Qg6+ Nf6 (28... Kd7 29. Qxf5+ Qe6 30. Qxe6+ Kxe6 31. Bxb7 $18) 29. exf6 Bxg2+ 30. Kxg2 Qb7+ 31. Kg1 gxf6 {again pretty much forced as pushing the pawn forward with f7 discovered check is looming.} 32. Qxg8+ Ke7 33. Qh7+ Ng7 34. Qxg7+ Ke6 35. Rae1+ {its mate in one with 35...Kd5 36.Qxb7# or the Queen sacrifices on e4 and its mate in 2. So a close start but Nitishes strength and experience gave him the edge.} 1-0 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "2"] [White "Kronus"] [Black "nitishdas"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B00"] [WhiteElo "1520"] [BlackElo "2018"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "42"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {With the first game close it was still unclear who would win this game but again Nitish experience and great skill won him this game when Kronus over pushed.} 1. e4 Nc6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 Bg7 {This is a rare outing for the Nimzowitsch Defence characterised by an early Knight development by Black on c6.} 5. Bb5 Nge7 6. O-O (6. Bg5 {this was played in two games with beginners.}) 6... O-O 7. Ne2 d6 8. c3 Bd7 9. Bd3 e5 10. b4 $2 {until this move Kronus had the edge.} (10. d5 $16) 10... exd4 11. Nfxd4 Ne5 $3 12. Bc2 c5 $3 13. bxc5 dxc5 14. f4 $2 cxd4 $3 15. fxe5 dxc3 $5 16. Ba3 $2 Re8 $2 17. Qd3 $2 ( 17. Rxf7 Kxf7 18. Bb3+ Nd5 19. Nxc3 Bxe5 20. Qxd5+ Kg7 21. Rd1 Kh8 22. Qxd7 Qb6+ 23. Kh1 Bxc3 24. Bd5 Rad8 25. Qh3 Be5 $19 {this is actually whites best line here but it is still not good enough to avoid defeat.}) 17... Nc6 18. Bd6 $2 (18. Bb3 $19) 18... Nxe5 19. Qd5 $4 Be6 20. Qc5 Rc8 $1 21. Qb4 a5 $1 { White position is collapsing and Kronus rather wisely throws in the towel. So its 2 - 0 to Nitish.} 0-1 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "3"] [White "nitishdas"] [Black "Kronus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B40"] [WhiteElo "2018"] [BlackElo "1520"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {In this game Nitish just plays a Kingside attack and Kronus can't cope.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. d3 d5 5. Nbd2 Nc6 6. Bg2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Re1 b6 9. e5 Nd7 10. Nf1 Bb7 11. h4 Re8 12. N1h2 Nf8 13. Ng4 f6 14. Bf4 $2 {In the game detailed below an unrated player gets a draw against a national master level player after exf6 alternative. This Bf4 move is rather suspect.} (14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 16. c3 e5 17. Nh2 Qf7 18. h5 Nd7 19. h6 Nf6 20. hxg7 Qxg7 21. Nf3 Rad8 22. Nh4 Bc8 23. Qa4 Bd7 24. Qb3 Kh8 25. Bd2 Bg4 26. Qa4 Bd7 27. Qc2 Bg4 28. a3 Rc8 29. Qc1 Na5 30. Bh6 Qg8 31. Qg5 Qxg5 32. Bxg5 Kg7 33. Bf3 Bxf3 34. Nxf3 Nc6 35. Nh4 Rf8 {1/2-1/2 (35) Biaggi,E (2280)-Vergagni,E Olivos 1993}) 14... d4 $4 (14... f5 $13) 15. exf6 Bxf6 16. Nfe5 $3 Rc8 $4 17. Nc4 $4 (17. Nxf6+ $3 Qxf6 18. Bg5 $3 Qf5 19. g4 $5 $18 {and the Queen is trapped - this is a computer line.}) 17... Be7 $2 (17... e5 18. Ncxe5 Ne6 19. Nxc6 Bxc6 20. Bxc6 Rxc6 21. Qf3 $18) 18. h5 $3 b5 19. Nce5 Bf6 $6 (19... Bg5 $5 $18) 20. h6 $3 Qe7 21. hxg7 Qxg7 $4 (21... Bxg7 $18) 22. Nh6+ $1 Kh8 23. Nef7+ $1 {a nice mate, I think Kronus was getting punch drunk at this stage. I told them to start again another time but they ignored my advice and played one last game for the night and what a game it was. So nitish looks strong favourite on 3 - 0.} 1-0 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.22"] [Round "4"] [White "Kronus"] [Black "nitishdas"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B23"] [WhiteElo "1520"] [BlackElo "2018"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "56"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Could Kronus win a game, the answer was no not on their first 4 games though its the first to 6, but this 4th games Kronus comes close to an upset.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 g6 3. d3 Bg7 4. f4 Nc6 {This is a closed Sicilian. Incidentally all three juniors play the closed sicilian rather than play an early Nf3 and d4 challenging the centre control by Black from his initial move.} 5. Nd5 e6 { yes white has just wasted a few tempi.} (5... d6 {in the only other game played in this line I can find -Black a strong candidate master plays this move and loses- it seems non-sensical to me.}) 6. Ne3 Nge7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. g4 f5 9. h4 fxe4 10. Ng5 Nd5 11. Nc4 Nxf4 12. Bxf4 Rxf4 13. dxe4 h6 14. Qd6 $3 { a piece sacrifice which is what could be called a whoopsey rather humoursly, i play lots of whoopseys which are sacrifices which you know are dubious but you just have to play them.} hxg5 15. O-O-O $3 b5 $4 {a rare mistake by Nitish which Kronus misses. He could have got his piece back straight away with the eliegant 16.Qxc6!!!!!!} 16. Ne3 $4 Qf6 {avoiding Qxc6 and threating an immediate attack on b2.} 17. c3 b4 18. Bc4 (18. Bb5 $19) 18... bxc3 19. hxg5 Qxg5 20. Kb1 Nd4 21. bxc3 Rf2 22. Nf5 $6 (22. Nd5 $3 exd5 23. Qxd5+ Qxd5 24. Bxd5+ Kf8 25. Bxa8 $19) 22... gxf5 23. exf5 $4 (23. cxd4 Bxd4 24. Rxd4 cxd4 25. Qxd4 Rb8+ 26. Bb3 Qg7 27. Qxf2 Bb7 28. gxf5 Bxe4+ 29. Kc1 Rxb3 30. axb3 Qc3+ 31. Kd1 Bf3+ 32. Qxf3 Qxf3+ 33. Kd2 Qxh1 $19 {this ends in calimity but is better than what was played.}) 23... Qf4 $5 (23... Qe3 $3) 24. Rxd4 $2 (24. Qxf4 Rxf4 25. cxd4 $19) 24... Qxd6 25. Rxd6 Rb8+ 26. Kc1 Be5 $3 {a superb move which shows off Nitish shear class. Kronus came close but he was second in this race.} 27. fxe6 Bf4+ 28. Rd2 dxe6 $3 {the position is yet again hopeless as the Rook on d2 is a hapless victim. So Nitish leads 4 - 0 and it looks very much like he will be champion. Still Andrew(Kronus) has improved loads on his showing previously between the two and if he keeps interested in the royal game he will surely be a master at it atleast.} (28... Rxd2 {this would have been sweeter but Nitish simplifies to a won endgame.} 29. e7+ Kg7 30. e8=Q Rh2+ 31. Kd1 Rb1#) 0-1 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "5"] [White "nitishdas"] [Black "Kronus"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A80"] [WhiteElo "2018"] [BlackElo "1512"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {In Britain we always cheer on the underdogs and at 4 - 0 even if they are close in ability Kronus was certainly the underdog. So, sorry to say for nitish I was supporting Kronus here although I really did not want to see nitish lose either but it was the continuation of the procession to a likely victory in this game though in the next game Kronus does get off the mark.} 1. d4 f5 2. g4 $6 {an opening trick aiming for mate.} e6 $6 (2... fxg4 3. h3 d5 $1 4. Qd3 Nf6 5. hxg4 Bxg4 $15 {got to watch out for Rxh7,and then Qg6# ploy, d5 stops this}) 3. gxf5 Nf6 $16 4. fxe6 dxe6 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Nc6 9. Qd3 Qe7 10. Qg6+ Qf7 11. Qxf7+ Kxf7 12. Bg2 Nb4 13. Na3 Bd7 14. c3 Nbd5 15. Nc4 Ne4 $4 {capitulating in a lost position.} 16. Nfe5+ Bxe5 17. Nxe5+ Ke7 18. Bxe4 {and so it looks like Nitish may get a whitewash in the tournament but the next game there is a surprise. Anyway so far its 5 - 0 to Nitish.} 1-0 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.01.28"] [Round "6"] [White "Kronus"] [Black "nitishdas"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B16"] [WhiteElo "1512"] [BlackElo "2018"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Kronus surprises everyone here just when it looked he was down and beat, he springs a mate from some sustained pressure, its probably just a consolation win as its still 5 - 1 to nitish even after this game, but Kronus shows he can do it against an extremely strong junior.} 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 {This is the Bronstein-Larsen Variation of the Caro-Kann Defence.} 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6 6. Nf3 Rg8 $2 (6... Na6 {is what the computer sugests}) (6... Bg4 { is what is usually played here}) 7. Qd3 $1 Qa5+ $6 8. Bd2 Qf5 9. Qb3 Qd5 $6 10. Bc4 Qe4+ 11. Be3 Rxg2 $2 12. O-O-O $2 (12. Bxf7+ Kd8 13. Nd2 Qh4 14. O-O-O $32 {with a big lead in development for Kronus.}) 12... Be6 $4 (12... e6 $16) 13. Qxb7 $3 {pieces hanging all over the place but all poisoned as far as Nitish is concerned.} Rxf2 14. Bxf2 Bxc4 $4 15. Rhe1 $4 (15. Qc8#) 15... Qxf3 $4 ( 15... Qd5 {this is the best alternative meeting 16.Qc8+ with 16...Qd8. But it is still a lost position for Nitish even if he'd spotted the checkmate and played this move.} 16. Qxa8 Qd8 17. d5 Bh6+ 18. Kb1 cxd5 19. Qxa7 e6 20. b3 Bb5 21. c4 Bxc4 (21... Bc6 22. cxd5 Bxd5 23. Bb6 Qd6 24. Rxd5 Qxd5 25. Qxb8+ Ke7 26. Qd8+ $3 {although this loses material it is great technique as it gets rid of any checkmate chances how ever small by Black and White has an endgame in which he hardly needs to think to win.} Qxd8 27. Bxd8+ Kxd8 $18) 22. bxc4 Nd7 23. Rxd5 Qb8+ 24. Qxb8+ Nxb8 25. Rc5 $18) 16. Qc8# {Nitish seems to have nine lives as people over play against him sometimes and dont take their chances- Kronus didnt need a second bite at the cherry in getting checkmate. So although it looks like its too late to decide the issue atleast Kronus has proved something to us all today.} 1-0 [Event "Grand Prix KO 2016-2017 Final 60 10"] [Site "Internet Chess Club"] [Date "2017.02.04"] [Round "7"] [White "Kronus"] [Black "nitishdas"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B01"] [WhiteElo "1488"] [BlackElo "2018"] [Annotator "Llewellyn,Alan"] [PlyCount "72"] [EventDate "2017.??.??"] {Of course NitishDas is a stronger player now than when I first played him on the Internet Chess Club and is improving fast but Kronuses improvement is startleing. Even over this tournament he is probably playing 2200 standard now similar to nitishdas standard of 2300 when kronus was playing 2050 standard at the beginning. This game is similar sparring wise to a grandmaster game, but nitishdas just comes through this amazing game, mainly by weakening Kronuses king position at a vital moment.} 1. e4 d5 {the Scandinavian defence} 2. e5 $6 Bf5 $1 3. c3 e6 4. d4 {the position is like an advanced French but it is an improvement for Black on that as his light squared Bishop isn't hemmened in by the e6 pawn as it is in the French.} c5 (4... c6 {transposing into the more common slav defence.}) 5. Bb5+ Nd7 6. Nf3 Ne7 7. O-O Nc6 $1 8. Re1 Be7 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Nf1 $2 (10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Nb3 Bb6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 $11) 10... Qb6 $1 11. Be2 $2 cxd4 $1 12. cxd4 Rac8 $6 (12... Bb4 $3 13. Bd2 Nxd4 14. Bxb4 Nxf3+ 15. Bxf3 Qxb4 $19) 13. a3 Na5 $2 {targetting the d4 pawn was better as in the French advanced variation.} (13... Be4 14. Be3 Qxb2 15. N1d2 Bf5 16. Qb3 $19) 14. Ne3 $6 (14. b4 $5 Nc4 $15) 14... Bg6 $6 $15 (14... Be4 $1 $17) 15. b4 $5 Nc4 16. Bxc4 dxc4 17. d5 $3 exd5 $2 (17... c3 18. dxe6 Qxe6 19. Nd4 Qb6 20. Ndf5 Qd8 21. Qd4 $15) 18. Nxd5 $5 Qe6 $4 (18... Qd8 $3 $11) 19. Bg5 $1 Bd8 $3 ( 19... Bxg5 20. Nxg5 Qe8 21. e6 fxe6 22. Rxe6 Bd3 $18 (22... Qd8 23. Ne7+ Kh8 24. Nxg6+ hxg6 25. Qg4 Kg8 26. Qh4 Nf6 27. Rxf6 Rxf6 28. Qh7+ Kf8 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Qxg7+ Kd6 31. Rd1+ Kc6 32. Rxd8 Rxd8 33. Qxf6+ $18)) 20. Qa4 $4 (20. Bxd8 Rcxd8 21. Ng5 Qe8 22. e6 f6 23. exd7 Qxd7 24. Ne7+ Qxe7 25. Rxe7 Rxd1+ 26. Rxd1 fxg5 27. Rxb7 c3 28. Rdd7 c2 29. Rxg7+ Kh8 30. Rgc7 Rd8 31. f3 Rd1+ 32. Kf2 c1=Q $4 (32... Rd2+ 33. Ke3 Rd8 34. Rxa7 $18) 33. Rb8+ Rd8 {else back row checkmate.} 34. Rxd8+ Be8 35. Rxe8#) 20... Nb6 $4 (20... Qxd5 $3 21. Rad1 Bd3 $1 $19) 21. Nxb6 Qxb6 $4 {Bxb6 gave Nitish a winning advantage.} 22. Be3 $11 Qc6 23. b5 $2 $15 (23. Qxc6 Rxc6 24. Bxa7 b6 25. Nd4 Rc8 26. a4 Ra8 27. Nc6 Bf5 $4 {if the Bishop tries to get to the d7 square there is a tactic on...} 28. Bxb6 Bxb6 29. Ne7+ Kh8 30. Nxf5 $18) 23... Qe6 $1 24. Rad1 Bb6 25. Rd6 $1 Qg4 $3 26. e6 $2 Be4 $2 27. Qd1 $4 (27. h3 $3 {a well timed defensive manoeuvre was called for.} Qg6 28. Nh4 Qf6 29. exf7+ Qxf7 30. Bxb6 axb6 31. Rxe4 Qxf2+ 32. Kh2 $18) 27... fxe6 28. Nh4 $4 {Kronus is dancing on thin ice here.} (28. h3 Bxf3 29. hxg4 Bxd1 30. Rexd1 Bxe3 31. fxe3 $19 {and Black comes out of the position well to a won endgame.}) 28... Qxh4 29. Bxb6 axb6 30. g3 (30. Qd4 Rf4 31. g3 Qg4 32. f3 Qxf3 33. Rxe4 Qf1#) 30... Qf6 $5 31. Rxe4 Qxf2+ 32. Kh1 c3 $3 33. Re2 $1 {the pawn is unstoppable now, except with the loss of a rook.} Qf3+ 34. Kg1 c2 35. Rxc2 Qxd1+ 36. Rxd1 Rxc2 {no point going on from here so its 6 - 1 to NitishDas in the Final and he wins the Grand Prix KO. He was only seriously challenged by Kronus and Kronus practically put out everyone else except DarshuKarpov who is also coming on as a player, though his exams stopped him for challenging here.} 0-1