CK 5.1.2 (B15)
Marcos Llaneza Vega
Erwin l'Ami
Plovdiv 2008 (7)
Notes by Jeroen Bosch

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[SOS-7, Chapter 7, p.66] The 2008 European Championship takes place in Plovdiv (Bulgaria). This is a big and strong open which makes it necessary for all those with aspirations to play for a win with both colours. In the 7th round Dutch GM Erwin l'Ami uncorked the Gurgenidze Variation of the Caro-Kann to create an unbalanced position right from the start. This line was covered in SOS-7 by Adrian Mikhalchishin.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.c3 b5!?

And here is Bukhuti Gurgenidze's invention. Black has a light-square strategy in mind, threatening to chase away the knight thus increasing his control over the central squares e4 and d5.

4.exd5

4.a3 dxe4 5.xe4 f6 6.xf6+ exf6! was Mikhalchishin's main line as played by Gurgenidze and Bronstein.
Other moves include: 4.d3 b4 5.ce2 dxe4 6.xe4 f6 and 4.e5 e6 often followed by ...b4 and ...a6.

4...b4 5.a4?!

Mikhalchishin condemns this in SOS-7, preferring 5.ce2 or 5.e4.

5...cxd5 6.f3

Also possible are 6.a3 bxa3 7.b3 e6 8.f3 f6 and 6.d3 e6 7.e3 f6 8.e2 d6 which are covered in SOS-7. In both cases chances are about equal.

6...f6 7.e5 e6 8.f4 e7 9.e2 0-0 10.0-0 a5

Attacking the knight and preparing ...a6. Note that Black has a very solid position in the centre. The strategic exchange of the light-squared bishops will give him the better chances.

11.c4 bxc3ep 12.xc3 a6

With such a diagonal this cannot be called a 'bad' bishop of course.

13.a3 c8! 14.b4 xe2 15.xe2 b6 16.ac1 c6

Every exchange of pieces emphasizes Black's structural superiority.

17.xc6 xc6 18.b2

If 18.e4 then 18...a4.

18...d7

Re-directing the knight to the juicy c4-square.

19.e4 b5 20.d6 xd6 21.xd6 c4 22.d2

White is manoeuvring his queen over to the kingside since Black has so few defenders there. He could hardly wait for Black to improve his pieces on the queenside still further.

22...b6 23.g5

Threatening 24.e5.

23...h6 24.g3 xc1 25.xc1 c4 26.e5

What else?

26...xe5 27.xe5

After 27.dxe5 Black has a protected passed pawn and White's queenside remains just as weak as in the game.

27...a5

The minority attack further increases Black's advantage.

28.d6 axb4

28...a4 was also strong.

29.axb4

If 29.xb4 then 29...a4! is awkward to meet.

29...c4

Or 29...a4!

30.c5 b3 31.h3

It is hard to give White some decent advice: A) 31.b5 b8; B) 31.b6 a4 32.b5 b2.

31...b8 32.d6 xb4

Black has won a pawn. His position is won because in addition to his material advantage White's d-pawn is isolated.

33.f4 c4 34.a1 b7 35.g3 h7 36.e3 e7

l'Ami now moves around for a bit.

37.d3+ g6 38.h4 f6 39.d1 g7 40.e3 f5 41.e1 h7 42.c1?

However unpleasant White should have waited passively for Black to do something.

42...e4! 43.xc4 xe3 44.fxe3 dxc4

The pawn ending is winning.

45.f2 g7 46.e2 f6 47.e4 e5! 48.d5 e7 49.g4 h5 50.gxh5

50.g5 f6-+.

50...gxh5 51.d2 d6 52.c2

After 52.c3 both 52...f5 and 52...c5 win.

52...f5! 53.c3 fxe4 54.xc4 e3 0-1